Following the rejection of candidacy files of some political parties in the legislative election, members of Kira Burundi coalition accuses Uprona party of hampering the process.
Tatien Sibomana
Tatien Sibomana, spokesperson for the independent coalition “Amizero y’Abarundi” and member of Kira Burundi coalition says their rejection means violating the Arusha Agreement. “The current government has never agreed to include people who fight for the restoration of the Arusha Agreement,” says Sibomana. He also says the current Constitution hampers the activities of independent leaders. Tatien Sibomana accuses Uprona party, especially Gaston Sindimwo, its Presidential Candidate in the 2020 elections. “We are aware of what happened as he influences the Ministry of Home Affairs to take unfair decisions”, he says adding that Kira Burundi coalition isn’t discouraged from going ahead and participating in the 2020 elections. “We are prevented from getting elected but we are not banned from voting. We must change Burundi at any cost. We are not children”, he says.
Gaston Sindimwo, First Deputy President and Presidential Candidate for Uprona party, says his party doesn’t have any link with the rejection of Kira Burundi by the electoral body in the upcoming legislative election. “If Kira Burundi didn’t submit the required documents to CENI, this doesn’t mean that Uprona party has interfered in the analysis of their file,” he says adding that the main concern of Kira Burundi is to oppose Uprona leadership.
On 18 March, the National independent Electoral Commission revealed the parties’ candidacy files accepted and rejected in the legislative election throughout the country, i.e. those of Kira-Burundi coalition, Palipe Agakiza party and MPH party. Pierre-Claver Kazihise, CENI Chairman said the rejected candidates can appeal to the Constitutional Court within two days according to the electoral code. The approved candidacies in all provinces are those of CNDD-FDD, CNL and Uprona parties.
IWACU Open Data
