Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza, lone candidate in elections
There is reported tension in Burundi as the country conducts its much awaited elections on Monday June 28th. Six candidates from opposition political parties have all pulled out of the elections citing manipulation by president Piere Nkurunziza whom they accuse of rigging the elections before it took place.
Burundi which is just recovering from a bruising civil war has failed to pass the basic test of democracy after all members of other political organizations that were formed from former rebel movements refused to partake in Monday’s elections.
The opposition groups had formed an alliance, but the government headed by Nkurunziza denied the coalition permission to organize and campaign as a group.
It is feared war might be an option for many of these war combatants cum politicians who agreed to work with Nkurunziza after the peace process in Burnding mediated by different African counties especially fellow East Africa Community member states Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
There have already been several grenade blasts, including ten on Sunday, the eve of the voting day. Pierre Channel Ntarabaganyi, the National Police spokesman told the media that the Sunday night grenade blasts included one near the headquarters of the EU election observer mission to Burundi. The situation of affairs has generated a lot of concern especially among EAC member states who have called for calm in Burundi and all efforts to avoid a return to war.
With the polls yielding a result of Nkurunzia winning before the elections took place, it is not clear what the next step will be for other political organizations and for a people of Burundi who have witnesses war after war until the fighting groups agreed to come together and form a government, led by Pieere Nkurunziza who was heading one of the rebel fighting groups.
The youthful Nkurunziza had been largely hailed for leading the coalition of former rebels into a civilian government after the Burundi peace process and but the other players fell out with him and thought to instead work together against him.