Employees’ union denounces fivefold contribution to 2020 elections

Marie Bukuru, executive secretary of Burundi confederation of unions-COSYBU says it is not understandable that a civil servant will contribute to 2020 elections for several times. She says civil servants give contributions to the 2020 elections through their monthly salary. “The deduction is made when we receive our salary,” she says adding that civil servants also give their contributions in the institutions for which they work.

Marie Bukuru: “We are obliged to contribute to 2020 elections several times”

Mrs. Bukuru says civil servants will now be obliged to contribute in their households. “Each household will contribute an amount of BIF 2000 per year”, she says. Unemployed people including pupils and students eligible to vote in 2020 are also concerned about the contribution. “We will also contribute an amount of BIF 1000 for each child eligible to vote,” she says.

The executive secretary of the confederation also says civil servants will also contribute for their parents in the countryside. “They don’t work, where will they find this amount? The same civil servants who will contribute in their place,” she says.

Marie Bukuru says Burundi government imposed such measures while it had suspended all kinds of bonus on civil servants’ salary on the basis of performance. “Civil servants work and live in dire conditions. The decision comes to worsen their living conditions,” she says adding that the confederation had pleaded for the suspension of the measure for several times in vain. “There should first be a consensus before any decision is taken. Moreover, we will contribute for two years,” she says.

COSYBU exhorts Burundi government to let them contribute once. “Otherwise, it will be a forced contribution,” she says. Térence Ntahiraja, Assistant to the Ministry of Home Affairs has said the contribution concerns all households and unemployed people eligible to vote in 2020 elections.

About 2.15 million households, more than 460 thousand pupils and over 480 thousand students will pay the contribution to the 2020 elections. About BIF 5 billion will be collected in households per year. The necessary amount for the 2020 elections is estimated at BIF 70 billion. On 31 May, civil servants and other categories including natural and legal persons had already contributed up to BIF 17 billion.