One can never overestimate the fact that Thomas Sankara was one of Africa’s greatest ever revolutionaries and thinkers. Though his time in power as President of Burkina Faso was senselessly cut short, his ideals and legacy will forever be etched in African political history.
It was very evident Sankara was not a show-off and did not live lavishly. As president, he tried as much as possible to cut off unnecessary spending in his regime.
In one of his initiatives, he disposed of the government’s expensive and luxurious fleet of Mercedes Benz cars for a rather cheap and economical Renault 5 cars which were used as official government vehicles. The Renault 5 was the cheapest car in Burkina Faso at that time.
Take a look at a video of cabinet ministers arriving for a 1984 meeting in Renault 5 cars which he also used as his official vehicle.
Thomas Sankara’s Burkina Faso Ministers arriving for a 1984 Cabinet meeting.
Normally, Ministers moved around in a fleet of highly decorated Mercedes Benz cars; Sankara sold them all off.
All you got was the cheapest car of the day, a Renault 5, which he also rode to work with. pic.twitter.com/z7MMRP1R5k
— Facts About Africa (@OnlyAfricaFacts) June 19, 2018
