The Burundi Ministry of the Interior plans to hold a dialogue session with political leaders on 3 August in Kayanza Province, northern Burundi. Térence Ntahiraja, the assistant to the Minister of the Interior says the purpose of the session will be to discuss the road map to the 2020 elections. 32 political parties were invited, according to Ntahiraja.
Pierre Célestin Ndikumana: “”This dialogue will not yield good results since only pro-government political parties were invited”.
Leaders of opposition political parties say they are excluded from that dialogue. Pierre Célestin Ndikumana, chairman of parliamentary group of the opposition coalition “Amizero y’Abarundi”, says his political formation must participate in the 2020 elections though the government excludes it. “Many Burundians support our political ideology; a small group of people will not stop us from continuing our political mission,” says Ndikumana.
He doubts the outcome of this dialogue that will be organized inside the country. “This dialogue will not yield good results since only pro-government political parties were invited,” says Ndikumana. He considers it as a monologue. Ndikumana calls on the government to open a political space for all politicians to prepare for free, transparent and inclusive elections.
Léonce Ngendakumana, deputy chairman of FRODEBU party, says he does not expect anything from this meeting that excludes the opposition. “Only political parties close to the government are invited,” Ngendakumana complains.
Abel Gashatsi, chairman of UPRONA wing recognized by the government who claims to have received the invitation to participate in the meeting in Kayanza indicates that he expects that politicians will be able to set up a roadmap to 2020 elections.
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