Burundi: Presidence de la Republique – Secretariat General de l’Etat – Communique du Gouvernment (26.02.2024)

Burundi: Communique de l’ABC et du FODIB sur le Recentes Declarations du President Evariste Ndayishimye et la Fermeture de la Frontiere Burundaise avec le Rwanda (06.02.2024)

Burundi: Burundi Democracy Liberation Force (BDLF-Abisezerano) – Communique du Mouvement BDLF-Abisezerano (30.01.2024)

Burundi: Declaration a l’Issue de la Retraite de Reflexion sur la Restauration de la Democratie et l’Etat de droit au Burundi tenue en Belgique, du 19 au 21 janvier 2024 (21.01.2024)

Opinion: Who is Rwasa building for?

“The interim authority wishes to inform the public that this alliance does not involve CNL but rather Hon Agathon Rwasa himself because he was suspended from his position/President & legal representative for cause serious breaches in accordance with the party’s legal texts. The interim Party authority #CNL learned through social networks of a corresp. of Ministère burundais de l’Intérieur, du Développement communautaire et de la Sécurité publique addressed to the Hon. Agathon Rwasa where he engaged the CNL & sealed an alliance with Po organizations not recognized by law & this without the approval of the legal BP” (CNL Burundi, 17.01.2024).

The Party that Agathon Rwasa is still trying to represent him in the year 2024. That party has openly suspended him on the 4^th July 2023. That’s why the alliance that he built early this January 2024 in Arusha is on his own merit and own accord.

The Party that he used to be the President for and represent as a Candidate is now over. He is practically out of the CNL party and shouldn’t use the party affiliation, as he makes an alliance with other organizations.

While that might help Rwasa himself and gain popularity among opposition affiliated groups- or entities. It doesn’t make him any more legit and the authorities are even claiming some of these groups are deemed as “terrorists”, which means his going into murky waters here.

Rwasa has been a figure of the opposition and one of the vocal critics of the CNDD-FDD. He has done so for years. Maybe along the way the goal-post changed and he felt larger than life. As the man believed he was bigger than the party. That’s why in the end the party suspended him and he still have to use it to be relevant.

Rwasa knows this and we know it too. His possibly fishing for relevancy and a need for a new political platform. That might all be true, but his falsely using the CNL and the Party to gain traction among others. That is only hurting CNL and could possibly create trouble with the authorities. Especially, when the authorities are writing letters about the coalition and who Rwasa is aligned with. It will have ramification and hurt the party that Rwasa served for years.

Rwasa might feel that he is the personification of the CNL, but that doesn’t make it true either. This is why he was forced to be suspended in the first place. Now he continues to pursuit selfish gains and political points by getting new groups together. That is a risky move and could cost him a lot more. Instead of fighting himself back in the CNL.

He will be further alienating the possibility to return to CNL and the authorities will monitor his every action. As they suspect fellow allies to be “terrorists”. With that knowledge it would be only wise of the CNL to denounce and discredit Rwasa as a “individual” doing the bidding and not his former party. That’s the true reason here.

The regime of Burundi is vicious and brutal towards it’s enemies. That isn’t a secret, but a fact. The CNDD-FDD prefers to silence the ones that are in its way. That is something Rwasa and the CNL knows. They have seen the acts of the authorities and their law enforcement. Therefore, Rwasa is risking a lot by doing all of this.

His plays in the CNL might be forever gone, but CNL might feel the ramification if the authorities are spiteful. While Rwasa might hang around people with sinister motives and that doesn’t make anything better for the Republic. Only causes more blood and suffering. Peace.

Burundi: Presidence de la Republique – Communique du Gouvernement (23.12.2023)

Burundi: Former Prime Minister Bunyoni owned 153 house and 55 vehicles…

“Bunyoni affair: life sentence requested for the former Prime Minister and seizure & sale of his “153 houses and 55 vehicles.” 30 years in prison for Désiré Uwamahoro and the other co-defendants. This is the indictment of the public prosecutor after 4 days of a marathon trial. The defendants demand “unconditional acquittal”” (Antoine Kaburahe, 09.11.2023).

I have written about the Former Burundian Prime Minister Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni. These words and explanations can be repeated, because it gives context to the matter. That’s why I will use them as the trial is going on and has been in works for some time now.

In Burundi there is an on-going criminal case against former Prime Minister Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni. A who has been loyal to the CNDD-FDD and a man that former President Pierre Nkurunziza entrusted with national security organizations.

Bunyoni has held vital roles in the Government of Burundi. In the era of th CNDD-FDD he has rose through the ranks and gotten into prominence. This has done with share brutality and state sponsored violence. That has been done on the behest of the party and with acknowledge of the ones above him.

The Burundi Human Rights Initiative Report from December 2020 describes the man like this:

“For years, Burundi’s new Prime Minister, Alain Guillaume Bunyoni, has made his presence felt behind the scenes. His professional demeanour, well-cut suits and meticulous air gave him a veneer of respectability. As his influence grew, however, he quietly cultivated members of the security forces, some of whom were notorious for killing or torturing government opponents. “He hides behind others,” said one of his former colleagues. “The crimes are committed under his complicit watch. Either he agrees to the crimes, or he closes his eyes and lets them happen.” Former colleagues described him as cunning and said he is careful to cover his tracks when it comes to human rights violations. A former official who worked closely with him in the past said he is an intelligent man, but his public persona doesn’t reveal his true character. “He had two faces,” he said. “He had a hidden face that I didn’t see; that’s his current face.” Bunyoni’s hubris and his shrewd but brutal governing style emerged in private and, along with his love of money, have irritated some powerful CNDD-FDD generals. “He’s a man without a heart, without emotion, contrary to Évariste (Ndayishimiye),” said a former CNDD-FDD official” (The Burundi Human Rights Initiative – ‘A STRANGLEHOLD ON BURUNDI’S FUTURE’ December 2020).

When you know all of this about Bunyoni, it is hard to feel sympathy or emotions towards him. Yes, he should have the same rights under the law and be held accountable. In the same regard though, he used his office to enrich himself and his family. The former Prime Minister was able to take so much properties and vehicles. That is just astonishing… and he did it on the watch of previous President Nkurunziza.

This is really showing what the CNDD-FDD is capable of. Not only the massive amount of brutality, lethal orders and other impunity done towards dissidents and activists. No, this shows what sort of possibilities are there for the ones who are in the inner-circle.

As the former appointed Prime Minister and entrusted leader. Bunyoni had a lot of prestige and power. Apparently, he used that to enlarge his wealth and his own stature. Who knows how he was capable of getting over 150 houses and over 50 vehicles. However, he did and now he has to suffer the consequences. He thought he would get away it and never be held accountable for his actions. Now the pendulum has swung his way and he cannot catch up. Neither can his closest associates, who will also face harsh judgement.

There won’t be shed many tears over this. It is just a man who stole and used the office to enrich himself. While he ordered the end of people’s lives or ensured their silence. That’s what he did and now he will possibly be entering a facility where someone knows what he did and that he was in-charge when they were sentenced. There will be many there who could want to revenge or avenge someone they know.

This PM is facing the monster he created himself and now it was his turn to be touched. Peace.

Burundi: Ministere du Commerce, du Transport, de l’Industrie et du Tourisme – Communique ralative a la Mesure d’Embouteillage des Boissons Alcooliseees dont la Teneur en Alcool Depasse 16% (27.10.2023)

Burundi: Congres National pour la Liberte (CNL) – Communique de Presse (17.10.2023)

Burundi: Force de Lutte Contre le Nepotisme et le Favoritisme au Burundi (FOLUCON-F) – Communique de Presse (12.10.2023)