Burundi’s
2015 General Election: Fear or Hope?
Now
3 years, the CNDD FDD’s second term is flowing...and with, I must
say, little proof that the Nyangoma found party is well positioned
and trustful enough to win the coming election.
It
was in January 2005 that the former rebels registered CNDD FDD
(Burundi’s ruling party) as a political party creating hope for the
future of the country. Many analysts saw the coming of a new ruling
system mainly controlled by the Hutu, the major ethnic group who had
been denied power since independence as a new era, an open door to
democracy and good governance. However, that hope could not last
longer. Only a few years after their emerging to power, the party was
accused by some of its members of ‘changing and migrating’ in
terms of ideology, accusations which gave way for the CNDD FDD to
lose many of its committed and historical officials. The situation
became even worse when the outcomes of the 2010 general election were
contested by all of the opposition parties whose leaders decided to
withdraw their candidates from continuing with the electoral process.
On
December 4, 2012 in the famous ‘Palace’ of Kigobe, the news
surprised almost every Burundian: the CENI team (National Independent
Electoral Commission), chaired by the same individuals of 2010, was
voted for by the majority in parliament to head the new commission
for 2015 leaving anger in the midst of the opposing parties and doubt
in independent observers. Those individuals were accused by
boycotters in 2010 of being ‘used’ by the ruling CNDD FDD and ADC
Ikibiri (Coalition of opposing parties) blamed the chairman,
Ambassador P. Claver Ndayicariye and his team for the ‘trucked’
election.
Now
that almost ‘every’ hope is gone for a fair election, what will
2015 bring us? Wait and see. The general election is coming when
majority of the leaders who ‘think things should be done
differently’ are living in exile, having been forced to do so by
fear of death in 2011. The era approaches with war memorandum and
attacks in some provinces. In the year 2011, according to a Human
Rights Watch Report (2012), violence increased and, 3 years after
election, the political situation has failed to stabilize. Impunity
for killing and other human rights violation has been an obstacle to
peace and stability in the country. With the ruling party’s youth
wing (Imbonerakure) and the intelligence services (SNR) largely
accused in many reports of being violence promoters, the future for
the political stability of the country seems to disappear by the
‘horizons’.
In
a country where more than 400 people were killed in one year (2011)
because of their political opinions (Anonymous Report 2011),
concerned should be careful and prepare an open, fair, democratic and
accepted election to prevent violence in the coming 2015 Burundi
general election. I think that it is NOW that constructive talks
between ALL parties should start to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence. People should understand that unless there is TRUE
democracy and good governance, respect of individuals’ rights and
understanding between blocks, the reconciliation process will NEVER
take roots in that country known as the heart of Africa.
