Burundi's ruling party wins all seats in parliamentary vote as opposition cries foul
Burundi 's veteran ruling party won every seat in last week's parliamentary elections, the electoral commission said Wednesday, in a vote critics and observers say was tainted by irregularities.
"Nationally, the CNDD-FDD came first with 96.51 percent of the vote," election commission chief Prosper Ntahorwamiye said in a live televised ceremony.
None of the other parties obtained two percent of the votes – the constitutional threshold to sit in the National Assembly – "so all 100 seats go to the CNDD-FDD", he added.
The final results of last Thursday's poll are due to be announced by the Constitutional Council on June 20.
Members of the National Congress for Liberty (CNL), the main opposition party which was barred from the vote, alleged multiple and forced voting, as well as "banned access" and the "arbitrary imprisonment" of its observers.
Anicet Niyonkuru, a legislative candidate and leader of the smaller opposition Council of Patriots party, told AFP that voters put pre-filled ballots in the ballot box, calling it "a major fraud that was seen everywhere".
Olivier Nkurunziza, the leader of the Uprona opposition party which received just 1.38 percent of the vote, said the elections were "rigged".
The Uprona party "denounces rigged elections", Nkurunziza told AFP adding: "We have killed democracy."
He said the CNDD-FDD had won 100 percent of the vote in some districts, with no invalid ballots, abstentions or absentees, despite Uprona fielding at least 50 candidates in each area.
Journalists and voters who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons also told AFP of significant irregularities.
Poverty
President Evariste Ndayishimiye took power in June 2020 after the death of his predecessor Pierre Nkurunziza, who had ruled Burundi with an iron fist for 15 years.
Since taking office, he has swung between gestures of openness and a firm grip on power, with rights abuses denounced by NGOs and the UN.
His party, the CNDD-FDD, was accused of hobbling its main adversary the CNL, which came second in the last elections in 2020. At the time, the CNL called the vote a "farce".
In 2023, Burundi's interior minister suspended the CNL citing "irregularities" in the way it organised
In 2024, Agathon Rwasa – a former Hutu rebel leader against the Tutsi-dominated army during the civil war which left some 300,000 dead between 1993 and 2005 – was replaced as head of the CNL and replaced by Nestor Girukwishaka, who is said to be close to the ruling party.
Burundi ranks as the world's poorest country in GDP per capita, according to the World Bank 's 2023 index, with 75 percent of its 12 million people living below the poverty line.
One Burundian analyst, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, told AFP the country is facing "a very deep socio-economic crisis marked by all sorts of shortages, galloping inflation of more than 40 percent a month and increasing public discontent".
Burundi has been paralysed notably by a severe petrol shortage for nearly three years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
5 hours ago
- France 24
Egypt detains more than 200 activists ahead of Gaza aid march
Egyptian authorities have detained more than 200 pro-Palestinian activists in Cairo ahead of an international march aiming to break Israel 's blockade on Gaza, organisers said Thursday. Thousands of people taking part in the Global March to Gaza planned to travel to Egypt 's Rafah border crossing with the Palestinian territory on Friday to call for increased humanitarian aid access. "Over 200 participants were detained at Cairo airport or questioned at hotels across Cairo," the march's spokesperson, Saif Abukeshek, told AFP. The detainees included people from Algeria, Australia, France, Morocco, the Netherlands, Spain and the United States, he said. Plainclothes officers entered Cairo hotels on Wednesday with lists of names, questioning activists, and in some cases, confiscating phones and searching personal belongings, said Abukeshek. "After interrogations, some were arrested and others were released." At Cairo airport, some detainees were held for hours without explanation, Abukeshek said, adding others were deported, without specifying how many. More than 20 French activists who had planned to join the march were held at Cairo airport for 18 hours, he said. "What happened was completely unexpected," Abukeshek said. Footage shared with AFP showed dozens of people with their luggage crammed inside a holding room at the airport. "We're locked up here in this room with so many people -- some 30-40 people," a German national said in one video. "I called the embassy and they told me their people are trying to figure things out," she said. Another video obtained by AFP shows more than 30 people aboard a deportation flight from Cairo chanting in French: "The world is with you... Gaza... Gaza". One French traveller, who was briefly detained and released early Thursday, told AFP he had been held in a room at Cairo airport with around 15 others. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said he saw between 50 and 60 people being stopped, including elderly people and families. The Greek contingent said in a statement that dozens of Greek nationals were among those held at Cairo airport, but were later released after 10 hours in custody. The Global March to Gaza said several people were being released after diplomatic staff arrived at Cairo airport to provide "consular assistance to the detained participants". Cairo Security Directorate chief Tarek Rashid did not respond to an AFP request for comment. Pressure After 21 months of war, Israel is facing mounting international pressure to allow more aid into Gaza, which the United Nations has dubbed "the hungriest place on Earth". Another convoy dubbed Soumoud, or steadfastness in Arabic, left the Tunisian capital on Monday, hoping to pass through divided Libya and Egypt -- which organisers say has yet to provide passage permits -- to reach Gaza. The Soumoud convoy arrived in Tripoli -- the Libyan capital controlled by the internationally recognised government -- on Wednesday. It remains uncertain whether the convoy will be allowed into eastern Libya which is controlled by rival forces loyal to military commander Khalifa Haftar. The Global March to Gaza, which is coordinating with Soumoud, said around 4,000 participants from more than 40 countries would take part in the event, with many having already arrived ahead of the Friday march. Watch more Children shot and wounded at aid distribution centre in Gaza According to the plan, participants are set to travel by bus to the city of El-Arish in the heavily secured Sinai Peninsula before walking 50 kilometres (30 miles) towards the border with Gaza. They would then camp there before returning to Cairo on June 19. Israel has called on Egyptian authorities "to prevent the arrival of jihadist protesters at the Egypt-Israel border". Such actions "would endanger the safety of (Israeli) soldiers and will not be allowed", Defence Minister Israel Katz said. In response, Egypt's foreign ministry said that while it backs efforts to put "pressure on Israel", any foreign delegations visiting the border area must receive approval through official channels. "We will continue despite what happened because the current numbers in Egypt and those expected to arrive are enough to organise this march," Abukeshek said.
France 24
7 hours ago
- France 24
Protests over police killing in Kenya as govt presents budget
The government carefully prepared its new finance bill with the aim of avoiding the massive protests over tax hikes that engulfed Kenya a year ago. But the killing of 31-year-old teacher Albert Ojwang while in police custody last weekend, after he was arrested for criticising a senior officer online, has reawakened anger over police brutality in the east African country. "You can't kill one of us in prison and then expect us to just lie down," said Tiffany, 22, a protester in Nairobi's business district who gave only her first name. Hundreds of protesters were spread in small groups across Nairobi's business district, with some throwing rocks at police who fired back with tear gas, while at least two cars were set alight. AFP reporters saw at least three people wounded by rubber bullets, with one taken to hospital. The unrest was limited compared to the protests last year that peaked when thousands stormed parliament on June 25, forcing President William Ruto to cancel a finance bill that would have raised taxes on many everyday items. At least 60 people were killed in the weeks of youth-led protests in June and July 2024, and rights groups say dozens more were illegally detained by security forces in the aftermath. The east African nation is a regional economic powerhouse but tensions have simmered over a rising cost of living, a stagnant job market and rights abuses. This year, the government played it safe with its finance bill, focusing tax hikes on businesses rather than consumers. Finance Minister John Mbadi acknowledged last year's protests had highlighted "the importance of values and principles of governance" and called for a minute of silence in parliament for protesters who lost their lives. "To win public trust, we have strengthened public participation in all policy formulation, including the budget-making process," he said, referring to a new online portal in which citizens could give their views. But there was anger last month when a software designer was arrested for creating her own website that criticised the budget and allowed people to email the government with complaints. 'Avoid controversy' Kenya faces a daunting task in boosting social services and investment at a time when its heavy debts mean interest payments outweigh its spending on health and education. Analysts say the new budget is unlikely to provoke the public anger of last year. It seeks to boost revenues by cutting government spending and closing tax loopholes, though critics say it still includes backdoor price increases and will hurt small businesses. "This year's finance bill is, in comparison to last year's, very much seeking to avoid controversy," said Patricia Rodrigues, of global consultancy Control Risks. But businesses will be impacted by increases in income taxes and social contributions, she said. In a difficult global environment, the World Bank has reduced its growth projections for Kenya from 5.0 to 4.5 percent in 2025. And rights abuses have become a volatile issue. "What we are demanding is for the deputy inspector general to resign, and then he should be arrested," said protester Anami Daudi Toure, 27, on Thursday. © 2025 AFP
France 24
7 hours ago
- France 24
'We show up': Pacific leaders apply pressure at oceans summit
The islands are besieged by rising seas and worsening storms, their coastlines choked in plastic, fishing waters plundered and coral reefs bleached and barren. But they refuse to be victims, pouring whatever resources they can into protecting the seas that sustain their people -- and calling out those not doing their share. This week, Pacific leaders have made some of the boldest commitments at the UN Ocean Conference, challenging wealthier nations to up their game. French Polynesia set the bar high at the outset of the five-day summit in Nice, France, announcing it would create the world's largest marine protected area in the far South Pacific. Within this enormous expanse of five million square kilometres (1.93 million square miles) will be a fully-protected sanctuary, double the size of Sweden, that totally forbids any human activity. Samoa announced nine new marine areas protecting 30 percent of its waters, while Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands unveiled plans for a mammoth joint marine park linking neighbouring Pacific nations. Once completed, they said, this ocean reserve would span six million square kilometres -- an area as vast as the Amazon rainforest. The Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands joined a global call for a pause on deep-sea mining, while four Pacific nations came forward to ratify a treaty to protect the high seas. "We show up by doing -- by taking action -- and not just through talkfests," said Sivendra Michael, permanent secretary at Fiji's environment ministry. 'Time to act' Almost as many Pacific heads of state and government turned up in Nice as European ones, making an impression in colourful traditional dress and through the force of their message. The elephant in the room is money, said Coral Pasisi, climate director at the Pacific Community, the region's principal scientific and technical development organisation. Pacific nations receive less than half of one percent of global climate finance, she said, and it can take years for sinking island nations to raise the capital to build a single seawall. Rich nations pledged last year to commit $300 billion a year to developing countries for climate action by 2035. But small island nations are wary, after similar promises have gone unmet. "Sometimes we feel alone in the world," Taivini Teai, environment minister of French Polynesia, told AFP. "But we must pull together and make industrialised countries understand that it is time to act." On stage and in private meetings in Nice, including with French President Emmanuel Macron, Pacific leaders demanded again and again that rich nations help them with actions, not words. "We need to adapt to shield our oceans from further harm. And that means -- plain and simple -- money. And money that we can use," said Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "The gap between what we need and what is available is growing dangerously wide. And this is a security issue for the Pacific." Listen to us The oceans summit did not address a lack of progress on phasing out fossil fuels -- deeply frustrating Pacific countries that have rallied to get the contentious issue back on the global agenda. "For the smallest of the countries and the most vulnerable, we have been the boldest and the loudest" on fossil fuels, said Michael of Fiji. Vanuatu's environment minister Ralph Regenvanu said it was "unfortunate" that fossil fuels weren't given sufficient prominence in Nice. "It's the single greatest cause of the damage to the oceans we're seeing now, and we're not talking about it enough," he said. Fed up with climate summits and pleading for action, Vanuatu and its Pacific neighbours are testing if international law can compel countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions. For low-lying Tuvalu -- which is already making arrangements to shift its citizens permanently elsewhere -- the sense of urgency could not be greater as the tide laps higher. "I hope they listened to us," said Tuvalu President Feleti Teo, of his appeal in Nice for wealthier governments to come to their aid.
