Latest news with #CNDD-FDD
Morocco World
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Burundi's President Ndayishimiye Wins 100% of Seats in National Vote
Rabat – President Evariste Ndayishimiye's CNDD-FDD party has secured 100% of the seats in the vote for the national legislative assembly. The election results were announced on Wednesday, June 11, by the electoral commission. This vote has been termed by opposition parties as the 'death' of Burundian democracy. The ruling party has won the election, despite the country currently being in an economic crisis with chronic shortages and rising inflation. This is despite the electoral commission stating that no fraud was uncovered, and the President's party winning 100% of the vote in many electoral districts. This election has been seen as the end of democracy in this African nation. Ndayishimiye has been the president of the African state since 2020, following the death of Pierre Nkurunziza, who served as the ninth president of Burundi for almost 15 years from August 2005 until his death in June 2020 Observers have criticized Ndayishimiye consistently for human rights abuses. Burundians went to the polls to vote for the new National Assembly on 5 June. The number of seats in the National Assembly is around 103. Many observers criticized the election for the tightly controlled element of the government, and the opposition has been constrained. Some opposition parties were banned from participation, such as the main opposition party, the National Council for Liberty. Many people in the country felt forced to vote during the election, and several journalists and voters had said that they were in fear for their safety. This is in comparison to the statement given by the president, saying that 'democracy is rooted in Burundi.' On Wednesday, June 11, the electoral commission announced the provisional election results, and unsurprisingly, the CNDD-FDD party won with 96.51%. No other opposition party was able to reach the two percent electoral threshold to gain seats in the National Assembly; therefore, the CNDD-FDD has won 100% of the seats. The final result will be certified at the constitutional court on June 20. International observers and opposition parties have expressed disbelief and anger, rejecting the election result. The leader of the Council of Patriots party stated that 'major fraud had been seen everywhere.' Olivier Nkurunziza, the leader of Uprona, said that the elections were 'rigged' and had 'killed democracy.' Tags: BurundiBurundi elections
Saudi Gazette
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Burundi's ruling party wins every seat in poll as rivals say democracy 'killed'
NAIROBI — The ruling party in Burundi has won all 100 seats in a parliamentary election that the opposition says has "killed" democracy in the central African state. Giving the provisional results for last week's poll, electoral commission head Prosper Ntahorwamiye said the CNDD-FDD party secured more than 96% of votes in all provinces. The election had seen only "some minor irregularities", he added. The opposition Uprona party came second with a little over 1% of the vote. The party denounced the election as rigged, with its leader Olivier Nkurunziza telling the AFP news agency: "We have killed democracy." The main opposition party, the National Congress for Liberty (CNL), fell into third spot, getting only 0.6% of the vote. Campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the result showed that democracy had been "hollowed out" in Burundi. It added that the CNDD-FDD, in power since 2005, "sought to dismantle all meaningful opposition", including from its biggest rival, the CNL. Freedom of expression is limited in Burundi and critics say these polls followed a prolonged campaign of intimidation and harassment. Election observers from the Catholic Church were turned away from some polling centers, according to HRW. The African Union meanwhile has been criticized for praising the "climate of freedom and transparency" of the polls, which it declared were "peaceful". Correspondents say there was little sign of celebrations in the main city of Bujumbura after the provisional results were announced on Wednesday. The electoral commission said the results would be submitted to the Constitutional Court, which has to then certify them and provide the final results by 20 June. Ntahorwamiye said there were "some minor irregularities — shortcomings that came about which have been resolved — because as you know, nothing is completely perfect". In line with the Arusha Accords that brought an end to the bitter Burundian civil war more than two decades ago, the ethnic composition of the country's parliament has to mirror the proportions of Hutus, Tutsis and Twa people in the population at large. After this month's vote count, the electoral commission announced that an additional 11 seats were to be created and filled to remedy an imbalance — which will bring the total number of MPs to 111. — BBC
Zawya
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Burundi: Elections Without Opposition
Legislative and local elections in Burundi on June 5, 2025, took place in a context of severely restricted free speech and political space, Human Rights Watch said today. The Independent National Electoral Commission (Commission électorale nationale indépendante, CENI) announced on June 11 during a press conference that the ruling party had won 96.5 percent of votes and all elected national assembly seats. The ruling party also won almost every seat in the commune-level election. Ruling party officials and youths intimidated, harassed, and threatened the population and censored media coverage to secure a landslide victory. 'Burundians voted in an atmosphere devoid of genuine political competition as the ruling party further consolidated power,' said Clémentine de Montjoye, senior Great Lakes researcher at Human Rights Watch. 'Against a backdrop of growing discontent over a deepening economic crisis and systemic human rights failings, the ruling party took no chances in the elections.' The National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (Conseil national pour la défense de la démocratie-Forces pour la défense de la démocratie, CNDD–FDD), in power since 2005, has sought to dismantle all meaningful opposition, including from its main rival, the National Congress for Freedom (Congrès national pour la liberté, CNL). Several opposition parties, including the CNL, the Patriots' Council (Conseil des Patriotes, CDP), and the Union for National Progress (Union pour le progrès national, UPRONA) denounced irregularities in the vote. Senatorial and further local elections are scheduled for July 23 and August 25, respectively, and the next presidential polls will be in 2027. In the days following the vote, Human Rights Watch spoke with local activists, journalists, private citizens, and a member of the ruling party's youth league – the Imbonerakure – who spoke of intimidation and irregularities in both the lead-up to the election and during the voting. Media reports and witness accounts indicate that the voting on June 5 was overwhelmingly dominated by the ruling party. 'The Imbonerakure were in front of the polling station telling people to vote for the ruling party,' said a voter in the town of Bururi. 'All the workers at the polling station were members of the ruling party. The head of the polling station himself told me to vote for the ruling party.' People interviewed in Bujumbura, the country's largest city, Cibitoke, and Rumonge described similar scenes at their polling places. A Burundian civil society organization reported the same patterns in Bubanza, Gitega, Makamba, and Ngozi. 'We were told to do everything necessary to make sure that people only voted for the CNDD-FDD,' the Imbonerakure member said. Opposition parties and witnesses said that opposition party representatives, journalists, and observers were prevented from entering polling places, including when votes were being counted. In several communes (municipalities), the number of votes cast reportedly exceeded the number of registered voters. Media and witnesses also reported ballot stuffing and the selective distribution of voter cards, excluding opposition members from voting. A coalition of radio stations, television channels, and print or online media outlets coordinated coverage of the elections, reportedly funded by the Ministry of Communication, Information Technology and Media, and all content produced had to be submitted to a central editorial team, which censored reports that did not align with the official narrative, media reported. A journalist told Human Rights Watch that officials of the electoral body told the media 'not to talk about irregularities.' In December, the electoral commission barred opposition candidates, including members of the opposition Burundi for All (Burundi Bwa Bose in Kirundi) coalition and the CNL, from contesting the June elections, effectively sidelining major opposition voices. Some were able to appeal the decision at the Constitutional Court, but presidential runner-up and former leader of the CNL, Agathon Rwasa, was among those still barred from running. In January 2024, the interior minister accused the CNL of collaborating with a terrorist organization, after which the party's general assembly voted to remove Rwasa from leadership. In April 2024, Burundi adopted a new electoral code that significantly raised candidate registration fees and imposed a two-year waiting period for those leaving political parties before they can run again, effectively ensuring that Rwasa would not be eligible. The authorities, aided by the Imbonerakure, forced the population to register to vote in late 2024, according to media reports and witness accounts. 'The population wanted to show that they don't see the point in this election, and tried to boycott the registration process,' said an observer in Cibitoke. 'They were forced [to register], prevented from accessing markets, healthcare centers, administrative services or going to the fields. The Imbonerakure were everywhere to intimidate people.' The African Union deployed an observation mission and issued a preliminary report on June 7 praising the 'peaceful' conduct of Burundi's legislative and communal elections. It also praised high voter turnout, the 'climate of freedom and transparency,' and media coverage. This stands in stark contrast to the AU's own normative framework on democracy, elections, and human rights, which emphasizes credible, inclusive, and transparent electoral processes. The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and the Economic Community of Central African States also deployed observer missions. The Catholic Church, which has criticized previous elections, deployed observers but some were turned away from polling places. General elections in May 2020 took place in a highly repressive environment, marred by allegations of irregularities. Throughout the pre-election period, Imbonerakure members committed widespread abuses, especially against people perceived to be against the ruling party, including killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, beatings, extortion, and intimidation. Burundians have told Human Rights Watch that they feel growing frustration at the ruling party's governance, at a time when the population is facing a 40 percent annual inflation rate, chronic shortages, significant discrepancies between official and unofficial exchange rates, limited foreign currency reserves, and a fuel crisis that has crippled transport for years. The escalating conflict in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, which has jeopardized cross-border trade and prompted the arrival of over 70,000 refugees and asylum seekers since January 2025, as well as cuts in donor funding have further compounded the situation. In February, Burundian authorities expelled the director and security officer of the United Nations World Food Programme from the country, after they reportedly advised staff to stock up on essential goods. Civil society and opposition figures continue to report ongoing harassment, extortion, arbitrary detention, and beatings by the Imbonerakure and the authorities as the government remains deeply hostile to perceived criticism. Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Burundi is a party, states, 'Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity … [t]o vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors.' 'Burundi's democracy has been hollowed out, with a ruling party unaccountable to its people and unwilling to tolerate dissent, even as economic desperation grows,' de Montjoye said. 'Without credible opposition, this election only further entrenches authoritarian rule and pushes Burundians further into a deeply rooted governance crisis.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Burundi's ruling party wins every seat in poll as rivals say democracy 'killed'
The ruling party in Burundi has won all 100 seats in a parliamentary election that the opposition says has "killed" democracy in the central African state. Giving the provisional results for last week's poll, electoral commission head Prosper Ntahorwamiye said the CNDD-FDD party secured more than 96% of votes in all provinces. The election had seen only "some minor irregularities", he added. The opposition Uprona party came second with a little over 1% of the vote. The party denounced the election as rigged, with its leader Olivier Nkurunziza telling the AFP news agency: "We have killed democracy." The main opposition party, the National Congress for Liberty (CNL), fell into third spot, getting only 0.6% of the vote. Campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the result showed that democracy had been "hollowed out" in Burundi. It added that the CNDD-FDD, in power since 2005, "sought to dismantle all meaningful opposition", including from its biggest rival, the CNL. Freedom of expression is limited in Burundi and critics say these polls followed a prolonged campaign of intimidation and harassment. Election observers from the Catholic Church were turned away from some polling centres, according to HRW. The African Union meanwhile has been criticised for praising the "climate of freedom and transparency" of the polls, which it declared were "peaceful". Correspondents say there was little sign of celebrations in the main city of Bujumbura after the provisional results were announced on Wednesday. The electoral commission said the results would be submitted to the Constitutional Court, which has to then certify them and provide the final results by 20 June. Ntahorwamiye said there were "some minor irregularities - shortcomings that came about which have been resolved - because as you know, nothing is completely perfect". In line with the Arusha Accords that brought an end to the bitter Burundian civil war more than two decades ago, the ethnic composition of the country's parliament has to mirror the proportions of Hutus, Tutsis and Twa people in the population at large. After this month's vote count, the electoral commission announced that an additional 11 seats were to be created and filled to remedy an imbalance - which will bring the total number of MPs to 111. Rwanda planning to attack Burundi, president tells BBC 'Mpox made my throat so painful I couldn't sleep' Burundi leader to get $530,000 and luxury villa Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Focus on Africa This Is Africa
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Burundi's ruling party wins every seat in poll as rivals say democracy 'killed'
The ruling party in Burundi has won all 100 seats in a parliamentary election that the opposition says has "killed" democracy in the central African state. Giving the provisional results for last week's poll, electoral commission head Prosper Ntahorwamiye said the CNDD-FDD party secured more than 96% of votes in all provinces. The election had seen only "some minor irregularities", he added. The opposition Uprona party came second with a little over 1% of the vote. The party denounced the election as rigged, with its leader Olivier Nkurunziza telling the AFP news agency: "We have killed democracy." The main opposition party, the National Congress for Liberty (CNL), fell into third spot, getting only 0.6% of the vote. Campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the result showed that democracy had been "hollowed out" in Burundi. It added that the CNDD-FDD, in power since 2005, "sought to dismantle all meaningful opposition", including from its biggest rival, the CNL. Freedom of expression is limited in Burundi and critics say these polls followed a prolonged campaign of intimidation and harassment. Voters, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the BBC they doubted the ruling party had so much support at a time of dire economic hardship. Election observers from the Catholic Church were turned away from some polling centres, according to HRW. The African Union meanwhile has been criticised for praising the "climate of freedom and transparency" of the polls, which it declared were "peaceful". Correspondents say there was little sign of celebrations in the main city of Bujumbura after the provisional results were announced on Wednesday. The electoral commission said the results would be submitted to the Constitutional Court, which has to then certify them and provide the final results by 20 June. Ntahorwamiye said there were "some minor irregularities - shortcomings that came about which have been resolved - because as you know, nothing is completely perfect". In line with the Arusha Accords that brought an end to the bitter Burundian civil war more than two decades ago, the ethnic composition of the country's parliament has to mirror the proportions of Hutus, Tutsis and Twa people in the population at large. After this month's vote count, the electoral commission announced that an additional 11 seats were to be created and filled to remedy an imbalance - which will bring the total number of MPs to 111. Rwanda planning to attack Burundi, president tells BBC 'Mpox made my throat so painful I couldn't sleep' Burundi leader to get $530,000 and luxury villa Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Focus on Africa This Is Africa
