Latest news with #Ndayishimiye
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
Morocco World
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Burundi Holds Legislative Elections Amid Tight Presidential Control
Burundians have gone to the polls on Thursday in a vote for the 123-seat National Legislative Assembly. This election is seen as a test of Evariste Ndayishimiye's presidency. Ndayishimiye has been the president of Burundi since the 2020 election. He secured the leadership of the ruling party CNDD-FDD after the death of previous president Pierre Nkurunziza. Despite being credited for ending Burundi's long period of isolationism, Ndayishimiye has been criticised for his poor human rights record. This election has been tightly controlled by the government as according to one commentator the government is taking no chances. The opposition has been constrained with popular opposition leader Agathon Rwasa being ousted while abroad in 2023. There have been multiple accusations that this was due to a government backed internal party coup d'etat. Many other opposition leaders have been banned from running in the election with rival parties constrained. Gabriel Banzawitonde, leader of the APDR, the alliance pour la paix la démocratie et la réconciliation, stated that 'people are so intimidated that they tell you that you cannot wear any party colours other than the ruling party ones'. Human rights observers have criticised the high-level of intimidation that voters have experienced particularly from the violent CNDD-FDD student organisation There remain several widespread issues within Burundi including, rising inflation to around 40%, chronic shortages in essentials like oil, and large levels of poverty at around 66%. This has led to growing popular dissatisfaction within the country. Despite this Ndayishimiye's party is almost certain to win the presidential election. While casting his ballot in Gitega province the president made a statement 'the population is driven by patriotic spirit, democracy is rooted in Burundi.' The president argued that the high voter turnout was a positive sign, but this might not be the case as one man stated that he was scared because 'some officials check if you have voted.' This election demonstrates clearly that Burundi is still an African one-party authoritarian dictatorship under President Ndayishimiye. Tags: Africa politicsBurundiBurundi electionslegislative electionspolitics
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Burundi votes but with opposition neutered
Representative Image (AI-generated) Elections for a new parliament in Burundi got under way on Thursday but with little risk of an upset after the main opposition was effectively barred from running. The impoverished, landlocked country in east Africa has seen decades of ethnic violence, civil war and authoritarian rule. A former rebel group, the National Council for the Defence of Democracy - Forces for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) of President Evariste Ndayishimiye, has dominated Burundian politics since 2005. It is accused of undermining its main opponent, the National Freedom Council (CNL), which came second at the last election in 2020 and claimed it was cheated. In 2023, the interior ministry suspended the CNL over "irregularities" in the way it organised its meetings. Then last year, the CNL ousted its leader, former militia commander Agathon Rwasa, while he was abroad -- a move which he said was orchestrated by the government. The government then passed new rules effectively barring Rwasa and his allies from joining other parties or standing as independents. A Burundian analyst, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, said the ruling party was taking no chances because the elections were happening amid "a very deep socio-economic crisis". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 임플란트, 비용 걱정되셨다면? 인천 시민을 위한 알짜 정보 플란치과 더 알아보기 Undo Burundi faces "all sorts of shortages, galloping inflation of more than 40 per cent and growing popular discontent," the analyst said. Very difficult for us: President Ndayishimiye took over following the death of his predecessor, Pierre Nkurunziza, who had isolated the country with his brutal and chaotic rule since 2005. While Ndayishimiye was seen as relatively less authoritarian, Burundi's rights record remains poor, with journalists, activists and opposition figures all facing severe repression. One of the candidates for Thursday's election, Patrick Nkurunziza -- no relation to the previous president -- head of the Burundi for All coalition, told AFP the campaign had been "very difficult for us". He said his members faced "threats, harassment and sometimes even attacks" from a government-aligned youth league known as the Imbonerakure. A group of media executives last month accused the Imbonerakure of detaining and torturing a journalist while he tried to work at the University of Burundi in the capital Bujumbura. A fuel shortage that has largely paralysed the country for nearly three years also made it difficult for candidates to operate, said Nkurunziza. "In the absence of Agathon Rwasa's CNL, the CNDD-FDD is sure to win," said the analyst. Most of the other candidates are "token candidates, who are there just to show that democracy is still happening in Burundi," they added. Burundi experienced decades of ethnic violence and civil war up to 2005. Under a peace agreement signed in 2000, seats in the parliament are split 60-40 between the two ethnic groups, Hutu and Tutsi. Burundi remains one of the world's poorest countries with almost two-thirds living below the World Bank's poverty line of $2.15 per day.
Herald Sun
05-06-2025
- General
- Herald Sun
Burundi votes but with opposition neutered
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Burundi votes for a new parliament on Thursday but with little risk of an upset after the main opposition was effectively barred from running. The impoverished, landlocked country in east Africa has seen decades of ethnic violence, civil war and authoritarian rule. The ruling CNDD-FDD party of President Evariste Ndayishimiye is accused of undermining its main opponent, the National Freedom Council (CNL), which came second at the last election in 2020 and claimed it was cheated. In 2023, the interior ministry suspended the CNL over "irregularities" in the way it organised its meetings. Then last year, the CNL ousted its leader, former militia commander-turned-politician Agathon Rwasa, while he was abroad. He was replaced by someone considered close to the ruling party, Nestor Girukwishaka, a former minister and senior executive at a state-owned company -- in what critics described as a government-orchestrated coup. The government then passed new rules that effectively barred Rwasa and his allies from joining other opposition parties or standing as independents. A Burundian analyst, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, said the ruling party was taking no chances because the elections were taking place amid "a very deep socio-economic crisis". The analyst said the country was facing "all sorts of shortages, galloping inflation of more than 40 percent per month and growing popular discontent". - 'Very difficult for us' - President Ndayishimiye took over following the death of his predecessor, Pierre Nkurunziza, who had isolated the country with his brutal and chaotic rule since 2005. While Ndayishimiye has been seen as relatively less authoritarian, Burundi's human rights record remains poor, with journalists, activists and opposition figures all facing severe repression. One of the candidates for Thursday's election, Patrick Nkurunziza -- no relation to the previous president -- of the opposition coalition Burundi for All, told AFP the campaign had been "very difficult for us". He said his members faced "threats, harassment and sometimes even attacks" from a government-aligned youth league known as the Imbonerakure. A group of media executives last month accused the Imbonerakure of arresting and torturing a journalist while he tried to work at the University of Burundi in the capital Bujumbura. A fuel shortage that has largely paralysed the country for nearly three years also made it difficult for opposition candidates to operate, said Nkurunziza. "In the absence of Agathon Rwasa's CNL, the CNDD-FDD is sure to win," said the analyst. Most of the other candidates are "token candidates, who are there just to show that democracy is still happening in Burundi", they added. Burundi experienced decades of ethnic violence and civil war up to 2005. Under a peace agreement signed in 2000, seats in the parliament are split 60-40 between the two ethnic groups, Hutu and Tutsi. Burundi remains one of the world's poorest countries with almost two-thirds living below the World Bank's poverty line of $2.15 per day. str-er/kjm Originally published as Burundi votes but with opposition neutered
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Burundi votes but with opposition neutered
Burundi votes for a new parliament on Thursday but with little risk of an upset after the main opposition was effectively barred from running. The impoverished, landlocked country in east Africa has seen decades of ethnic violence, civil war and authoritarian rule. The ruling CNDD-FDD party of President Evariste Ndayishimiye is accused of undermining its main opponent, the National Freedom Council (CNL), which came second at the last election in 2020 and claimed it was cheated. In 2023, the interior ministry suspended the CNL over "irregularities" in the way it organised its meetings. Then last year, the CNL ousted its leader, former militia commander-turned-politician Agathon Rwasa, while he was abroad. He was replaced by someone considered close to the ruling party, Nestor Girukwishaka, a former minister and senior executive at a state-owned company -- in what critics described as a government-orchestrated coup. The government then passed new rules that effectively barred Rwasa and his allies from joining other opposition parties or standing as independents. A Burundian analyst, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, said the ruling party was taking no chances because the elections were taking place amid "a very deep socio-economic crisis". The analyst said the country was facing "all sorts of shortages, galloping inflation of more than 40 percent per month and growing popular discontent". - 'Very difficult for us' - President Ndayishimiye took over following the death of his predecessor, Pierre Nkurunziza, who had isolated the country with his brutal and chaotic rule since 2005. While Ndayishimiye has been seen as relatively less authoritarian, Burundi's human rights record remains poor, with journalists, activists and opposition figures all facing severe repression. One of the candidates for Thursday's election, Patrick Nkurunziza -- no relation to the previous president -- of the opposition coalition Burundi for All, told AFP the campaign had been "very difficult for us". He said his members faced "threats, harassment and sometimes even attacks" from a government-aligned youth league known as the Imbonerakure. A group of media executives last month accused the Imbonerakure of arresting and torturing a journalist while he tried to work at the University of Burundi in the capital Bujumbura. A fuel shortage that has largely paralysed the country for nearly three years also made it difficult for opposition candidates to operate, said Nkurunziza. "In the absence of Agathon Rwasa's CNL, the CNDD-FDD is sure to win," said the analyst. Most of the other candidates are "token candidates, who are there just to show that democracy is still happening in Burundi", they added. Burundi experienced decades of ethnic violence and civil war up to 2005. Under a peace agreement signed in 2000, seats in the parliament are split 60-40 between the two ethnic groups, Hutu and Tutsi. Burundi remains one of the world's poorest countries with almost two-thirds living below the World Bank's poverty line of $2.15 per day. str-er/kjm
