Dissension within opposition platform over executive board term

The term of the Executive Board of the National Council for the Arusha Agreement and Rule of Law-CNARED expired on 25 January. Members are divided over the term limit and accuse one another of violating the regulations governing the platform.

“The opposition platform –CNARED has no board since 25 January 2017, the expiration date of the outgoing Executive Board. Any measures or decisions that might be taken by the board will not come into effect”, says Frédéric Bamvuginyumvira, on behalf of the political parties engaged in the inter-Burundi dialogue.

He says the members of the board try at all costs to remain in their positions regardless of the term limit provided for by the texts governing the platform. Bamvuginyumvira accuses the same board of trying to organize meetings with some members of the management board in order to extend their term contrary to the platform’s regulations.

Bamvuginyumvira says the political parties engaged in the Inter-Burundian dialogue see the inclusive dialogue as the only way for a sustainable solution to the Burundian political crisis and pledge their full support to it under the mediation of the EAC.

Jérémie Minani, Spokesperson for CNARED, says the platform has been unable to organize internal elections since the term of the Executive Board expired on 25 January 2017.

“Members of the board organized an urgent meeting and agreed to extend the term until 28 February 2017. They have also set up a commission of six persons to prepare the elections before the set date”, he says.

Minani says CNARED is aware of the sanctions imposed on Frédéric Bamvuginyumvira, Chairman of Sahwanya Frodebu party because of his campaign to demonize the leaders of CNARED. “Since his defeat in the presidential election of CNARED, he has started to create problems that do not really exist”, he says.

Burundi Government has never recognized CNARED. Gaston Sindimwo, First Deputy President has previously said CNARED is a Belgian association which has nothing to do with Burundi Government.

That opposition platform was created following the outbreak of the crisis in April 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would run for a third term.