Actualities

The Burundian people talk about his embarrassment to political situation
Le 21 June ‘07

On Tuesday, June 19th, 2007 His Excellency JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE, President of the United Republic of Tanzania arrived in Burundi for the first time for an official visit. For more than 20 years ago, no President of this huge East African country has arrived in Burundi. Since the new democratically elected government came to power in September 2005, His Excellence Kikwete is the first President of a Republic to pay visit to Burundi.

On arrival to Bujumbura International Airport, President JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE has addressed a message to Journalists: “I am happy to arrive in Burundi for may first time. It is a great pleasure to find that a piece of mind can be observed in Burundi after the last rebel movement has signed a cease fire agreement with Government. Somewhat the peace process in which the United Republic of Tanzania has duly involved is on its way”, he said.

President JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE arrives to Burundi during a crucial time where there is a political unrest after only one year and half since the democratically elected government came to power. Soon after its inauguration, the government launched military operations against the last remaining rebel group, the Palipehutu-FNL, in the course of which it imprisoned, tortured and even executed many suspected combatants as well as civilians accused of colluding with the rebels, often with the National Intelligence Service (SNR) behind the abuses. Since September 2005, there has been marked deterioration in Burundi’s political climate. Led by the National Council for the Defence of Democracy-Forces for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), the government has arrested critics, moved to muzzle the press, and committed human rights abuses.

This authoritarian course triggered violent unrest and put the gains of the peace process at risk. The arrest of prominent opposition politicians, accompanied by questionable claims that Honourable Hussein Radjabu may have attempted to disturb security have been the most disturbing development. Some of the arrested persons were tortured, as a case in point concerning the deterioration in human rights and political pluralism. There is an emergency to adopt a more inclusive approach and remain truly engaged in dialogue with other political partners.
Today, the ruling party, though it only stands by the name, is actively interfering in public procurement, fuelling suspicions that it is using state offices to fill its coffers, which nourishes political dissidents inside the party as well as nationwide. Also, civil societies and Diplomatic missions have expressed their concern at increasing government corruption.
This authoritarian drift has been exacerbated by the weakness of institutions meant to provide a check on the executive. Political opposition is divided and corrupted by the CNDD-FDD, which seeks unsuccessfully to take control of parliament. The judiciary power, precisely all courts work under stiff control of the Government. President NKURUNZIZA has himself clamped down on critics in the press and civil society by giving them money so that they should not say a word. Recall that, the first elected since 1993, the government came to power with considerable domestic and international goodwill, which it has obviously lost by the lack of interest to take steps to promote accountable, inclusive and democratic governance. The growing authoritarianism is disturbing after such a promising beginning to the peace process.


The government’s recent actions to muzzle Honourable Hussein Radjabu and other citizens have highly damaged the country’s political climate and can foster unrest in the near future, if equal justice is not made to everyone. This can hamper the implementation of the ceasefire agreement signed with the FNL rebels in September 2006.
From the International Airport of Bujumbura, President JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE visited popular quarters of the town, i.e. Buyenzi, Kamenge and Kinama where citizens were invited two days before to stand by roadsides. Early in the morning thousands of school pupils and ordinary citizens were queuing on roads, waiting to see President JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE. On his passage the people were desperate and not enthusiastic and posters where were written welcoming words and wishes of the people were up held. Some of the slogans read as follow:

1. SUB REGION BE AWARE, HONOURABLE HUSSEIN RADJABU IS INNOCENT

2. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPÜBLIC OF TANZANIA, YOU ARE WELCOME IN BURUNDI

3. ALL BURUNDIANS NEED HONOURABLE HUSSEIN RADJABU TO BE FREE FROM PRISON

4. THANK YOU HONOURABLE RADJABU HUSSEIN FOR YOUR VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO PEACE PREOCESS IN BURUNDI

5. HONOURABLE HUSSEIN RADJABU IN PRISON, ALL BURUNDIANS IN PRISON

6. WHY HONOURABLE RADJABU IN PRISON? DOES IT MAKE SENSE?

7. JUSTICE, BE JUSTICE, WE NEED FAIR JUSTICE

8. JUSTICE BE INDEPENDENT, MILLIONS OF BURUNDIANS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR THAT

9. EXECUTIVE POWER, STOP INTERFERING WITH JUSTICE

10. BURUNDI CITIZENS SAY NO TO LIES? MANIPULATIONS AND ALL THE LIKE JUST TO INCULPATE INNOCENT AND PEACE-MINDED PERSONS

11. WE NEED”UBUNTU” AND NOT VICTIMISATION

12. HONOURABLE HUSSEIN RADJABU TWO MONTHS IN PRISON FOR A UNIQUE CAUSE TO HAVE COMMITTED TO BURUNDI PEACE PROCESS

13. WE NEED REPARATION? NOT RETARIATION

14. SUBREGION’S CONTRIBUTION IS MORE THAN REQUIRED FOR BURUNDI TO BE A LAWFUL NATION.

15. THANKS TANZANIA FOR YOUR VERY CONTRIBUTION IN BURUNDI PEACE PROCESS, YOU STILL HAVE TO DO!

16. HONOURABLE HUSSEIN RADJABU TWO MONTHS IN PRISON, BURUNDI TWO MONTHS IN CHAOS, SO WHAT?

17. HONOURABLE HUSSEIN RADJABU, BURUNDIANS REITERATE YOUR ENTIRE SUPPORT FOR BURUNDI PEACE BUILDING

18. YES TO DEMOCRACY, NO TO VIOLENCE

19. SECURITY AND DEFENSE FORCES BACK TO THE CAMPS, LET POLITICIANS DO!

20. FAIR JUSTICE PLEASE

21. CHARISMATIC LEADER OR HONOURABLE HUSSEIN RADJABU, ALL ARE THE SAME

22. COMRADES FORGOT COMRADE, IT’S A SHAME!

23. CNDD-FDD IN TURMOIL, WHAT A PITY? THINK ABOUT YOUR FATHER IN PRISON

24. BE GENTLE TO PEOPLE AS YOU GO UP, YOU MIGHT NEED THEM AS YOU GO DOWN

25. HONOURABLE HUSSEIN RADJABU, MILLIONS OF BURUNDIANS ARE AROUND YOU WHEREVER YOU ARE, KEEP IT EASY

26. BURUNDIANS NEED A VISIONARY LEADER NOT A TRANSACTIONAL LEADER

From different messages read on posters above, it can be seen that citizens of Burundi are bored by the present regime and hence need President JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE to help bring Burundi back to its way of Peace and reconciliation.

The internal problem within the CNDD-FDD is a problem to Government and must be resolved before any step forward is made by the Government.

Burundi Transparence