The Government of Burundi has remained evasive over a demand by the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State Summit that called for the postponement of presidential elections in the troubled country.

The tiny central African country was scheduled to hold presidential elections on June 26, but political twists there including President Pierre Nkurunziza’s attempts at securing a ‘third term’ led to sporadic violence and a temporary coup was staged on May 13 by disgruntled military and police officers led by a former intelligence chief, Maj Gen Godefroid Niyombare. The coup was staged while President Nkurunziza in Dar es Salaam was attending the first EAC meeting on Burundi, but could only hold for a day, as a ‘triumphant’ Nkurunziza returned home from Tanzania on May 14.

This time the President didn’t make the trip to Dar es Salaam for the second meeting  two days ago, but the EAC leaders present implored the Burundi government to postpone the elections by at least ‘one and a half months’ to allow for calm to return to the country of 10.1 million people.

Now, media reports have indicated that Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gervais Abayeho as saying the proposal by the Heads of State would be considered alongside the Constitution, which demands that an elected president must be sworn in by August 26, and the different opinions given by other stakeholders including the Burundi Electoral Commission and political parties in the country.

It is this non-committal position that is puzzling many, with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance in East Africa (UNOCHA-EA) saying in a Flash Update that “The Government of Burundi has indicated it is favourable to this request.”

Burundi erupted into violence during the past three months after President Nkurunziza indicated he would participate as a presidential candidate for the ruling CNDD-FDD party, a position that was contested by the country’s opposition and political activists as contravening the Constitution, which  sets term limits for president at two, five year terms.

Stories Continues after ad

Kampala-Jimmy Akena son to former President late Apolo Milton Obote has won the Uganda Peoples’ Congress party presidency.
Akena won five other contenders to replace outgoing party president Olara Otunna who declined to contest for the second term. “Yes I won and the elections were peaceful” Akena said when Eagle Online contacted him.
Elections were held on Saturday May 30 in 64 districts which consists UPC countrywide.

Others in the race included Prof Edward Kakonge, David Pulkol, Julius Onen and Benson Obua Ogwal and Sam Wandera.

Akena winning completes the family cycle of the Obotes ruling the party. His father ruled the party from 1960 until he died in 2005 and thereafter, Akena’s mother Miria Obote took over until Otunnu came.

Stories Continues after ad

Dar es Salaam-East African Heads of State have, under their umbrella body the East African Community (EAC), called for the postponement of the elections in Burundi for a period of not less than one and half months and also appealed to institutions in Burundi including Parliament to facilitate this postponement.

In a joint communiqué issued at the end of an emergency summit on the situation in Burundi held at State House in Dar es Salaam, the leaders who included, Jakaya Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Burundi’s Minister for External and International Cooperation Alain Nyamitwe,  who represented President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi and Rwanda’s Minister for East African Community, Valentine Rugwabiza,  who represented President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, agreed that during the postponement, members led by the EAC chairperson will consult with stakeholders in Burundi on the way forward.

The summit was also attended by South African President Jacob Zuma, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dlamini Zuma and the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region Saidi Djinnit among other officials.

On May 13, rebelling soldiers led by former intelligence chief Gen Godefroid Niyombare temporarily ousted the government of president Pierre Nkurunziza, while the latter was attending a similar conference on Burundi in Dar es Salaam, sparking off violent reaction by the masses.

However, the coup was reversed by loyalist troops, paving the way for Nkurunziza to return to the country on Thursday, May 14.

During the deliberations, officials called on all parties to stop the violence and exercise restraint during this period and for the urgent disarmament of all armed youth groups allied to political parties.

Meanwhile, the leaders have encouraged the government of Burundi to create a conducive environment for the return of refugees to Burundi and directed the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EAC partner states and the Republic of South Africa to urgently communicate these and other decisions to the government in Burundi.

The leaders at the summit also expressed sympathy for the people of Burundi following the violence that resulted in the death of many people, influx of refugees to neighbouring countries, the destruction of property and paralyzing of business in some parts of the country.

After the summit, the leaders were hosted to a luncheon by President Jakaya Kikwete.

Museveni for Madaraka Day in Nairobi

Later, President Yoweri Museveni held a bilateral meeting with the host and EAC chairman, President Kikwete.

Meanwhile, Mr Museveni this morning left for the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, to be part of celebrations to mark Madaraka Day at the invitation of President Uhuru Kenyatta. On departure President Museveni was seen off at the Julius Nyerere International Airport by Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bernard Membe.

Stories Continues after ad