Burundi holds elections as AU, US protest
Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza (C) queues at a polling station in Mwumba, Ngozi province, during the parliamentary and local elections yesterday. PHOTO BY AFP
Kampala- President Pierre Nkurunziza’s government yesterday held parliamentary and local government elections despite protests from opposition parties, the African Union (AU), United Nations, and United States government.
According to various sources, voting was delayed for hours in the morning following Sunday night attacks on various polling stations both in the capital Bujumbura and other provinces across the country by armed groups.
News sources also indicated that voting was marred by fear and tensions made worse by heavy deployment of troops.
The chairperson of the AU commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini, in a statement issued on Sunday, expressed concern over this political fog in Burundi and said the government had not met conditions to allow free and fair elections in compliance with the relevant provisions of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
“AU Commission will not observe the local and parliamentary elections scheduled to take place this Monday,” Ms Dlamini noted.
The US Department of State has warned regional governments against involvement in the Burundi crisis and said it will deal directly with any principal found culpable.
A spokesperson for the US Department of State, John Kirby, in a statement issued on Friday, said they “strongly oppose any actions by regional states that could further destabilise Burundi and worsen humanitarian suffering there”.
He said they support AU’s call for dialogue with opposition groups and other stakeholders; that are opposed to Mr Nkurunziza’s third term bid.-
