10-24-2016 ■ A statement by Chad Head of State, Idriss Deby, supporting the current term of President Pierre Nkurunziza creates controversy. Between “electoral appetites” of African leaders and the AU malfunctioning. “The constitution says the president must be elected for two terms by universal suffrage. The first term of President Pierre (...)

10-21-2016 ■ On October 10, AU decided to delay the placement of Burundian contingents deployed in the African Union peacekeeping Mission in Somalia [AMISOM] expected in November 2016. The spokesman of the Burundian army colonel Gaspard Baratuza denies this information. “Contrary to what is said, AU has not suspended the rotation (...)

10-20-2016 ■ Since 5 July 2016, the Ministry of Public Security has launched a campaign for changing the traditional driving license into a biometric one. “20,000 persons using the new biometric driving license have already registered out of 290, 000 people registered for the old driving license since 1937,” says Alfred (...)

10-19-2016 ■ This 19 October, the Burundi National Assembly has overwhelmingly voted for an MP that will replace Hafsa Mossi, the late EALA MP -killed in July 2016. Jean Marie Muhirwa, 36, from a Hutu ethnic group, senator and former administrator of Bwambarangwe Commune of Kirundo northern province has been voted (...)

10-19-2016 ■ On 18 October, Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza has promulgated the law on the withdrawal of Burundi from the International Criminal Court.Following the decision, the President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, H.E. Mr. Sidiki Kaba, expressed concern about this development. (...)

10-17-2016 ■ A fraud who wanted to defraud a pastor was apprehended by the police yesterday. The police have arrested a suspected foreign conman who intended to defraud a female pastor of $1700. The suspect posed as an international charity organisation worker. “He told the pastor he worked for “Robinson Donald” (...)

10-17-2016 ■ “Burundi withdraws from the International Criminal Court for national sovereignty”, says the government. For the opposition, the latter fears being prosecuted for several massive violations. 94 votes for, 2 against from André Ndayizamba and Fabien Baciryanino, both from UPRONA party and 14 abstentions, including that of Agathon Rwasa, the (...)

10-12-2016 ■ On 12 October, the National Assembly has voted for a bill on Burundi withdrawal from the International Criminal Court. Despite points of contention during the plenary session, 94 MPs voted for, 2 against and 14 abstentions. The Minister of Justice, Aimée Laurentine Kanyana, who defended the draft law in (...)

10-12-2016 ■ Five out of eight UPRONA MPs elected from Amizero y’Abarundi coalition have been replaced as they have never sat in the National Assembly since they were elected in 2015. According to Tatien Sibomana, the spokesman of UPRONA, the wing which is not officially recognized by Burundi government, they keep (...)

10-12-2016 ■ On his third visit in Burundi in two years, Ambassador Georg Schmidt, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa and Sahel of the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs indicated that Germany is concerned with the country’s current situation. “The UN Human Rights reports are not encouraging. Several refugees are still living (...)