CENI rejects four presidential candidates

Out of 10 presidential candidacy files, four don’t meet the required conditions. The rejected candidates say they will appeal to the Constitutional Court.

They are Jacques Bigirimana, presidential candidate for FNL party, Anicet Niyonkuru for CDP party, Valentin Kavakure for FPN-Imboneza party and former President Domitien Ndayizeye for Kira Burundi coalition .

Pierre Claver Kazihise, Chairman of the National Independent Electoral Commission says the commission hasn’t accepted their files because the presidential candidates don’t meet the required conditions in accordance with the Constitution and electoral code. ‘They have two days to appeal to the Constitutional Court,” he says.

Domitien Ndayizeye representing Kira Burundi coalition was surprised to hear about the decision. He says his candidacy wasn’t accepted due to the lack of enough sponsors. He says he is going to reanalyze his candidacy file to ensure that it wasn’t changed. “As a former President, I cannot miss 200 supporters,” he says.

The same view is shared by Valentin Kavakure, presidential candidate for FPN-Imboneza party. He says his party will appeal to the Constitutional Court. “We are surprised to hear about the decision. We were informed that our candidacy file is complete when we submitted the required documents. This is a political decision because our party is strong although it is new,” he says adding that FPN-Imboneza is committed to taking part in the legislative and communal elections. The candidacy file of FPN-Imboneza party was rejected due to the submission of a declaration of nationality non-conformity, lack of enough sponsors that are less than 200 people, incomplete sponsors’ files and suspicious signatures on some documents.
Anicet Niyonkuru for CDP party also announces that his party will appeal to the Constitutional Court, this 10 March.

Six candidates accepted by CENI to run for the presidential race scheduled on May 20 are Evariste Ndayishimiye for CNDD-FDD party, Agathon Rwasa for CNL party, Gaston Sindimwo for Uprona Party, Léonce Ngendakumana for Sahwanya Frodebu party and two independent candidates including Francis Rohero and Dieudonné Nahimana.