Adolphe Banyikwa , MP from Amizero y’Abarundi political coalition and a group of his sympathizers have recently joined FNL party. Agathon Rwasa, the leader of the coalition, speaks of treason.
Written by Agnès Ndirubusa and translated by Ngendakumana Pierre Emmanuel
Adolphe Banyikwa alongside Agathon Rwasa before the relations between them went sour
The weekend of 6-7 May 2017 was a good opportunity for FNL party led by Jacques Bigirimana. According to Adolphe Banyikwa, more than 800 members of the former FNL party of Agathon Rwasa decided to join the FNL party of Kabezi, Kwiraro and Kanyosha constituency.
The objective was the reuniting of the party as it was formed by Rémy Gahutu, its founder as well as the turning away from the one who stirs things up within the party and fails to strengthen it: Agathon Rwasa.
“He was not able to guide us towards our goals. Instead, our activists are threatened and imprisoned while others live in fear. This situation has lasted too long”, said Adolphe Banyikwa, who initially decided to resign from his position of Secretary General of FNL party of Agathon Rwasa before slamming the door.
He says he and those who have joined the FNL party of Jacques Bigirimana have chosen the path of peace and cohesion, “What Rwasa cannot bring to us.” He asks the Government to release those who were previously imprisoned. As to whether he will stop sitting in the National Assembly for having left the coalition which appointed him to this post, he replies that he will not. “I am an independent candidate, so I will keep my position”.
Rwasa speaks of treason.
The First Vice-President of the National Assembly says the figures put forward by his current enemy are a lie. He talks about numbers exaggerated in a whimsical way. “We saw the pictures. Jacques Bigirimana was only surrounded by about fifty people. “
As for the allusions made by Banyikwa concerning the inheritance of the founding father of FNL party, Gahutu Remy, Rwasa deplores the fact that Banyikwa used it to flesh out his betrayal. He also insists that Banyikwa is in the pay of the ruling party CNDD-FDD.
“He was recruited by the system to weaken me and my friends.” He is surprised that Banyikwa is talking about unifying the party through” a small door.”
If he wanted to reunite the party, Rwasa explains, he would have done so honorably instead of going to sabotage the party by joining Jacques Bigirimana.
“Otherwise, how can he say that he wants to unify the party by selling himself to a person who is in the pay of the party in power?” He says:” We all know for whom they are working.
“ Agathon Rwasa does not beat around the bush. He denounces a machination to destabilize him and his sympathizers. According to him, the plot consists of enlarging the ranks of a party that CNDD-FDD controls rather than having a strong opponent. “The present multiparty system becomes an illusion which is gradually giving way to a single party system.”
Accusations
In February, Agathon Rwasa spoke about a fabrication hatched against him. He then evoked a rebellion which would be linked to him to finally get to his political decline, and thus lift his immunity.
“If I am not shot by some fanatics, I’ll find myself in jail.” He argues that the aim behind all that is to distance him from the 2020 elections. He does not hesitate to accuse his former right-hand man, Adolphe Banyikwa, of being implicated in the plot.
“He has made it clear to anyone who wants to hear it that I had just signed my death warrant. Agathon Rwasa said Banyikwa would not be far from the alleged rebellion. “He sent demobilized soldiers to Nzabampema, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They would be back with the goal of operating a few mock attacks and then hold me accountable for them”.
“False,” said Adolphe Banyikwa. “How is it that he is in danger with heavily armed guards protecting him?” He says he does not understand the allegations of the First Deputy President of the National Assembly. “His house is surrounded by 9 military positions. Imagining that an attack against him could happen is simply insane. In addition, Adolphe Banyikwa says he has no relationship with Nzabampema, Leader of a DRC operative rebellion.
“I do not really know him and I do not know what he’s doing. According to him, Rwasa should stop spreading malicious gossip.
Reactions
CNDD-FDD: “Parties dream of popularity but not all get it”
For Nancy Ninette Mutoni, National Secretary in charge of Information and Communication, CNDD-FFDD party is pleased to continue winning over the Burundians. According to her, the political program of her party meets their expectations. “All parties dream of popularity but not all get it.
“ While acknowledging the role of the media in strengthening democracy, Nancy Ninette Mutoni says some believe to convince through the media, but also indicates that a party without a solid foundation collapses. “In democracy any citizen has the right to join a political party of his/her choice and to leave if he/she is not satisfied”, she says.
As for those who speak of CNDD-FDD maneuvers to destabilize the opposition parties, Mutoni says a campaign of malicious gossip towards those who leave the parties does not advantage the author. This confirms the lack of vision and clear policy.
“We have no complaints about departures. We, on the contrary, rejoice that wheat is separated from the chaff.”
The Ministry of the Interior: “An independent member keeps his place”
Térence Ntahiraja , Spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior, reminds that Act No. 1/20 of 3 June 2014 on the electoral code governs the functioning of elected officials. Article 112 of the Constitution stipulates that a deputy’s term of office may also end when he /she voluntarily leaves the party for which he/she has been elected. According to Térence Ntahiraja, the case of Adolphe Banyikwa does not apply here. “He keeps his position because he is an independent member of Amizero y’Abarundi coalition, which is not a political party.”
Tatien Sibomana: “Banyikwa is considered as a pawn of the system.”
This political actor of Amizero y’Abarundi coalition considers the departure of Banyikwa as a non-event. For him, it is one more game that shows that CNDD-FDD has not yet ceased its maneuvers to divide the parties into its satellites.”Banyikwa is considered to be a pawn of the system to destabilize Agathon Rwasa.” As for Banyikwa’s seat in parliament, Tatien Sibomana says there is a clause in the Constitutional Court that considered the independents of Amizero y’Abarundi coalition as being from a political party. “By virtue of this judgment, Banyikwa is a member of parliament from a coalition that is considered as a party. He, in principle, must leave his position.”
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