President Nkurunziza promulgated on June 7, 2018 the new Constitution adopted in 17 May, 2018 referendum. When presenting the new Constitution to the population, he announced his term in office as president would end in 2020.
Caption: Prof Gertrude Kazoviyo: “The president did not say he would not run for the 2020 elections.”
This declaration led to ambiguity for people. Some say President Nkurunziza affirmed he would not run for the 2020 presidential election and others do not believe it. They interpreted his speech differently.
Professor Gertrude Kazoviyo, a speech analyst, says the president did not say he wouldn’t run for the 2020 elections. “He just said his term in office would run out in 2020 and committed himself to supporting the one who will be elected as president in 2020, “she says.
For Kazoviyo, various interpretations from different people are understandable. “Each one interprets it according to their political position. There are those who have taken advantage of his power, there are those who protest his re-election, and those who are indifferent, “he says.
This speech analyst says the speech delivered by President Nkurunziza is not clear on his candidacy in 2020. She explains that this phenomenon is similar to the behavior of other African presidents who do not want to show their position over presidential terms.
“The speech of June 7 on the presidential terms leads to confusion. Yet he had made it clear on December 31, 2016 that he would run for the 2020 elections if people wanted it, ” Kazoviyo says.
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