Burundi Government resents foreign interference in 2020 elections

In his address during the general debate of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly on September 30th, Burundi Minister of Foreign Affairs has said that any attempt by some states to interfere with the Burundian elections will be an attack on the national sovereignty.

Ezéchiel Nibigira: “The electoral process in Burundi is an internal affair which is exclusively a matter of national sovereignty”

Ezéchiel Nibigira, Burundian Minister of Foreign Affairs has said the electoral process in Burundi as elsewhere in the world is an internal affair which is exclusively a matter of national sovereignty.
“Any support must not give way to acts of interference,” he said adding that all support must be provided at the request of the Government of Burundi.

He has also said the preparations for the 2020 elections are very advanced both in terms of organization and budget. “Elections will be free, transparent and peaceful,” he adds.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs says the government of Burundi has created a climate conducive to the holding of peaceful and inclusive elections.

“The political space in the country is being expanded through the approval of new political parties by the government and promotion of the freedom of expression,” he adds.
For Léonce Ngendakumana, Deputy Chairman of FRODEBU party, the results of the 2020 elections may not be transparent if there are no international observers.

“The organization of the 2020 elections is not transparent and inclusive,” he says adding that both national and international observers are needed for the results of the elections to be accepted by all.
He calls on the government of Burundi to organize transparent elections to minimize complaints over the results of the upcoming elections.

“Observers from the East African Community and other African countries may come to oversee the elections in Burundi,” says Abdoul Kassim, Chairman of UPD-Zigamibanga party adding that it would be also important to have UN observers during the elections.

For him, international observers should not be avoided if the elections are to be transparent.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission-CENI, the 2020 elections will start on May 20 with three polls on the same day, i.e. the presidential, MPs and communal advisors elections.