Burundi: Congres National pour la Liberte (CNL) – Communique de Presse (24.05.2020)

Burundi: Declaration des Organisations Membres du Conssortium de la Societe Civile sur les Elections de 2020 Concernant le Triple Scrutin tenu en date du 20 Mai 2020 au Burundi (21.05.2020)

Opinion: No honest election happens in darkness [Burundi]

Today is the day when people of the Republic of Burundi went to polls. In the interest of CNDD-FDD and to align the successor of President Pierre Nkurunziza, the Supreme Leader of Patriotism. The man who has handpicked his successor, Evariste Ndayishimiye.

What is striking about this election is that there is no Election Observation Mission (EOM) and the civil society organizations has been under fire as long as I can remember. Therefore, there are not many eyes on the elections. Except for a few friendly ambassadors, whose not trained nor has the education to catch a fraud. Even if it appeared right in front of their eyes.

The Attorney General of the Republic has on the 18th May ordered that no public should gather around the polling station when the counting is ocuring. They as society should focus on Social Distancing away from the Polling Stations. Which is ridiculous, knowing the month ahead of the polls. There was massive gatherings for every single rally of both the CNL and CNDD-FDD. If there ever was a lie, this is a big one.

Than, you have the social media blockade on the day. When the authorities suddenly without forewarning. Just ensure the public has to use VPN to access WhatsApp and whatnot. Because, the authorities are afraid of the words and leaks from the election. Like it was done in secret.

While the President cast his ballot. The public cheers in silence. The police are enforcing strict laws and the public just supposed to show up and stand in long queues. That is what it does.

We know, the state will cook the results. The results are already fixed. The end-game is already there. If it wasn’t, the President and his loyal men wouldn’t be out there. They just needs it and will use all means. Therefore, I don’t expect any honest and sincere results out of this.

Not that the EOMs would change that, but they could uncover more irregularities. Because, the CENI will cook the numbers. They will ensure the men of the President and CNDD-FDD gets their place. The CNL if they get anything. It will a honourable position. The same with the rest of the opposition parties. They will get scraps, play a minority role.

There is even reports of arrests of CNL leaders and activists on the day of ballots. So, its not like the state even tries to keep their dismay of the proceedings. There is not middle-ground or even trying to keep things a secret. However, this is the government that last time used the courts to validate an illegal third term for Nkurunziza. They even voted to ensure he was legal for a fourth round.

Nevertheless, to save grace and still have power. He “retired” into Supreme Leader. Therefore, he still have power and control. Maybe not the office and title of “head of state”. But, the man will be powerful and will have an ear to everything. Surely, he will entangle himself and secure that Evariste does the right thing. To think otherwise is naive. A man who has used force and intimidated his enemies. Will not suddenly back-out, unless he knows he has immunity and doesn’t fear for his future.

Nkurunziza will officially not be in-charge, but he will not go away. Ndayishimiye is the President in waiting. Don’t expect anything else. His the guy to look out for, but know Pierre will has his say. Agathon Rwasa is just a pawn and the King stays the King. Peace.

Burundi: Congres National pour la Liberte (CNL) – Communique de Presse (19.05.2020)

Burundi: Communique du Ministere de la Securite Publique et de la Gestion des Catastrophes a la Veille des Elections Presidentielle, Legislative et Communale (18.05.2020)

Burundi: Declaration des organisations burundaises de la societe civile independante a la veille des scrutins du 20 mai 2020 (17.05.2020)

Burundi: Congres National pour la Liberte (CNL) – Communique de Presse (16.05.2020)

Rwanda: Press release on the outcome of a virtual bilateral meeting between delegations from the Republic of Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania (15.05.2020)

Burundi: Olucome – Communique de Presse No. 11 – Sur le Budget General de l’Etat Exercice 2020-2021 (12.05.2020)

Burundi: Plans to send the “Verification Squad” into Quarantine to after the polls

The CNDD-FDD and the appointed CENI have all together concocted this and ensured that this could happen. They have ensured that the East African Community Election Observation Mission to Burundi would end up in Quarantine. Since its not there and has not yet been scheduled to arrive according to letters released. They are ensuring that the observer mission from the EAC will earliest, if they travel today be off the hook days after the polls.

That is a smart move. They will not see the polling stations, will not see the initial drop of ballots nor the tactics used by government to get people to vote. They can do it all without foreigners intervening. Because, there is no other EOM in the Republic at that time. There is talk of a few CSOs, but these local ones will not bully or unlock it all. As they want to have a ability to work after the polls too.

This game is rigged, that is why its campaigning during the COVID-19 or Coronavirus. Where huge rallies are held by both CNDD-FDD and CNL. However, we know the game is ready and the ruling regime will continue their hold of the country. As activists and leaders of CNL is intimidate or sudden gone missing.

There is even talks of weird sudden deaths appearing, which could be COVID-19, as there is no extensive testing nor protocol of a lockdown, as the elections are going as scheduled. The spread is maybe happening within the crowds at rallies. Who knows how bad it really is and what it does to the community.

The polls, the results and everything else is already ticked off. The State is running it clockwork. That is why they are lucky to have no observer or mission looking into the legal remedies, nor the practical organizations of the elections or the legitimacy as a whole. They don’t have safari teams from the African Union, European Union, Commonwealth, EAC nor IGAD. There are no foreign mission doing it. The authorities are free to hold the elections and no one else saying a word.

So, the 20th May 2020 can go down without any interference, any questions or even some eagle eyes scoping the possible breaches of trust and credibility of the affairs. The Safari teams from abroad can only, if they will be quarantined to over the polls and can only travel across the Republic when the counting is presiding and look over the procedural things. They cannot see how they did it or what they did. The ballots can be toyed around with or the security organizations can intimidate people to vote a certain way.

What we do know is that CNDD-FDD and its allies are happy with this. They are making the world blind to the affair. They cannot state or have options to look into it. The government can do as they please. Its that easy, we know that the (s)elected leader of CNDD-FDD will win. Evariste Ndayishimiye will be next President and that on the blessing of Nkurunziza. Who surely will reign in his shadow. He didn’t battle and conquer all his enemies to retire.

So, the only foreign verification squad or safari-group will be in quarantine, if they are even coming from the EAC. It seems like the scope, the amount of people nor the EOM itself isn’t structured and therefore, soon a fishing expedition to get it done in time.

CNDD-FDD gets their way and no one will see it. The Watchmen is stuck in quarantine, while they can boil all the numbers without a question. No one seeing it and no one reporting on it. If they do, they will get into trouble as this regime doesn’t spare lives nor anyone who questions it. That’s why this government will secure their result by all means. Nkurunziza and Ndayishimiye will not accept that. Peace.