Selected recent news stories from Burundi, concerning the country’s recent Presidential elections.

Bulletin:

• President Pierre Nkurunziza Wins Election: President Nkurunziza is announced winner of the 28 June Presidential elections, procuring over 90 percent of the votes cast.
• Opposition Remains steadfast on Boycott: The opposition has called the elections that took place on Monday the 28th of June a “masquerade.”
• Violence and Grenade Attacks Mark June Elections: Grenade attacks continue to take place all over the country wounding an estimated 50 people. Concerns remain over the future of the fragile new democracy. 
• International Community Has Mixed Reactions to Conduction of Elections: Representatives of the international community were pleased with the way that the elections were carried out, but openly regretted the lack of competition in the process.

President Pierre Nkurunziza is Victorious in One Man Presidential Race

The people of Burundi as well as the international community saw the elections on Monday (28 June) not only as a test that would determine the country’s progress towards its long awaited transition to peace, but also as an important step to cementing peace deals between the government and rebel groups after a decade of civil strife in the country. This was to the first Presidential election since peace was declared in the region, and only the second official Presidential election since achieving Independence from Belgium in 1962.

Despite early hopes for a smooth electoral process, the estimated 3.5 million residents of Burundi who voted on Monday had only one candidate to choose from at the ballot boxes.  The other six opposition candidates have boycotted the Presidential race after denouncing a fraudulent election process in the 24 May communal election. President Pierre Nkurunziza was the only remaining contender for the 18 June elections.  The National Electoral Commission has announced the President’s re-election and a vote count of over 90 percent in his favor, with a reported 77 percent voter turnout.  Both figures have been contested by the opposition parties.

Opposition Parties Declare the Elections a “Masquerade”

Political opposition figures in Burundi headed by former rebel leader Agathon Rwasa, have called the vote a fraud. They insist that the elections were rigged in favor of the current President from the very beginning of the electoral process. Pancrace Cimpaye, a spokesman for the Front for Democracy in Burundi, one of the country’s largest opposition parties declared “[the election] was a joke.” Jointly the opposition parties have refused to participate in the next round of elections (parliamentary) later this summer on the 23 July.

Agathon Rwasa, the leader of the largest opposition party in Burundi, the National Liberation Forces (FNL) has admitted that he has gone into hiding out of fear for his safety. He issued a recording yesterday explaining his reasons for his decision. Agence France Presse (AFP) quotes Mr. Rwasa in the radio broadcast, saying: “they're looking for me because I told the truth, because I said publicly that I don't accept the results of the local elections." He urged the government and the electoral commission to “come to their senses” and told the rest of the opposition candidates to remain united.

Due to the unstable security situation surrounding the electoral process in Burundi the voter turnout on Monday was much lower than for the municipal elections on 24 May. Dropping from ninety percent, the actual figures of voters present at the polls is still in dispute. Members of the national electoral commission claim 50 percent voter turnout but the opposition insists that it was less than 30 percent. Civil Society members on the ground monitoring the progress of the elections also claim that turnout was much lower than in May.

Leonoard Nyangoma, a spokesman for the opposition coalition, said "the parties of the Democratic Alliance for Change congratulate the Burundian people for their determination to say No to this illegal, unconstitutional electoral farce."

Security Situation Continues to Deteriorate

Kenya's foreign minister, Moses Wetang'ula warned that instability could jeopardize the country's status within the Eastern African Community (EAC). Burundi is the newest member of this economic and political union which is set to begin its formal integration process in July.  Mr Wetang’ula said "The gains in both security and stability that have been made in the last couple of years must not be lost.” He also said “that the region will not tolerate any slippage of the country into instability and violence.”

Two people were killed overnight following the elections and another two were injured the next day. So far there have been at least 60 explosions with more than 8 people killed and 40 wounded since June. The violence has escalated since the 24 May municipal elections, with grenade attacks launched all over the country but concentrated mostly in Bujumbura, the capital.

Burundi’s Police insist that the country is returning to a state of relative calm despite the tense security situation surrounding the elections. Yet concerns persist about the widespread availability of small arms that threaten the country’s law and order.

International Community Has Mixed Reactions

Members of the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States and the African, Caribbean and Pacific- European Union (ACP-EU) mission have announced that the electoral operations for the 28 June polls were organized and carried our properly. Representative of the East African Community Otieno Karan said his mission was satisfied with how the poll was conducted.

President Nkurunziza has also won considerable diplomatic leverage abroad by contributing close to 4,000 troops to the perilous peacekeeping mission launched by the African Union in Somalia three years ago.

Renate Weber who heads the European Union mission to Burundi emphasized that “The EU mission saluted the calm that characterized the June 28 election, but regretted the absence of a multiparty contest in the election.”