President Yoweri Museveni has assured the people of Burundi and the EAC that the government, opposition political party leaders and civil society organizations have all agreed to continue with the negotiations unconditionally and expeditiously in order to reach an agreement on issues affecting the political situation in the troubled central African country.
Other stakeholders who attended the meeting included three former Presidents of Burundi namely Mr Domitien Ndayizeye, Mr Sylivestre Ntibantunganya and Mr Jean Baptiste Bagaza.
The President who has returned home after a two-day working visit
to Burundi told the closing session this afternoon, that Uganda’s Minister of Defence Dr Crispus Kiyonga will, in this regard, arrive in Bujumbura tomorrow Thursday July 16 July to continue facilitating the talks as requested by the East African Community Summit.
The high level dialogue that opened yesterday under the auspices of the East African Community was hosted and facilitated by the EAC Secretariat. The meeting was a follow up of the mandate given to Museveni by the 3rd Extra-Ordinary Summit of the East African Community in Dar-es-Salaam on July 6, 2015; to lead and facilitate the dialogue at the highest level in a bid to find a lasting solution to the current political situation in Burundi.
The EAC leaders also decided to postpone the Presidential election in the country which was slated for July 30, to allow for this process.
After the meeting, Museveni was seen off this evening at Bujumbura International Airport by his host, President Pierre Nkurunziza and received back home by the Commissioner General of Prisons Dr Johnson Byabashaija, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Okoth Ochola, and the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces (DCDF) Lt. Gen. Charles Angina.
