04-20-2018 ■ The National Assembly analyzed on 19 April, a bill revising the law on the press. Article 7 of the bill requires media professional to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in journalism. MPs worry that some journalists will be dismissed. Agathon Rwasa, First deputy-speaker of the National Assembly deplores (...)

04-19-2018 ■ The Minister of Justice presented a bill on the revision of the code of criminal procedure before the National Assembly this April 18, which was afterwards adopted. Among the amendments, the bill provides for an overnight search which has been a bone of contention among some MPs. “The night (...)

03-26-2018 ■ On March 18, President Pierre Nkurunziza called his people to participate in the upcoming constitutional referendum. The calendar is now known. Some politicians see it as problematic. The game is over. On May 17, more than 5 million registered voters are expected at polling stations. They will answer whether (...)

02-19-2018 ■ Burundians have registered for both the constitutional referendum and 2020 elections. Some did so for fear of reprisals. In its mid-term review, the National Independent Electoral Commission-CENI has announced that more than 2,500,000 i.e. 56% of the expected number of voters have already registered after 5 days of registration. (...)

02-14-2018 ■ The National Commission for Truth and Reconciliation-CVR has met politicians and security forces’ officers to discuss the risk of memories’ manipulation that causes cyclical crises. The chairman of CVR says Burundians need to overcome the cyclical crises that have erupted since 1972 and restore peace and unity among them. (...)

01-10-2018 ■ Stany Ntakarutimana and Innocent Niyungeko, both supporters of the leader of the Burundian opposition, Agathon Rwasa were arrested on January 7, 2018, in Nyabihanga Commune of Mwaro province in the center of the country. According to Fabien Mahera, a political leader in Mwaro Province, the two staunch supporters of (...)

01-08-2018 ■ The First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly speaks of a unilateral removal of his military guard. He sees behind this an ill intent by the ruling party. Agathon Rwasa deplores what he describes as the persecution by the ruling CNDD-FDD. The cause is the removal of the soldiers (...)

01-03-2018 ■ “They ignored my request and concern and removed soldiers who were guarding me,” says Agathon Rwasa, First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and the chairman of the opposition political coalition ‘Amizero y’Abarundi’. He says his safety is in danger. On December 27, the soldiers who were guarding him (...)

01-01-2018 ■ The draft revision of the Constitution submitted to the referendum of May 2018 redefines an independent during an electoral process. Amizero y’Abarundi Coalition denounces a strategy aimed at excluding it from the election. “He/she is considered as independent, the candidate who has not identified with any political party for (...)

12-29-2017 ■ Agathon Rwasa, the chairman of the coalition of “Amizero y’Abarundi” and First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly says he is deeply concerned about his security as he continues to be persecuted. On 27 December, the agents of the National Defense Forces told him that his security guards had (...)