During the retreat of political leaders held between Thursday 22 and Friday 23 June in Kayanza Northern Province, Agathon Rwasa, the First Deputy-President of the National Assembly took the opportunity to say things as he feels them. A powerful speech reported verbatim.
| Kirundi | English |
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| 1. Bamaze kubica ku mayange bukebuke. Jewe nduhira. Ikibazo nyamukuru nkuko bamwe babivuze, n’ikibazo co gukumirana no kwigungirako kuko ubizana sous l’angle y’imigambwe, y’amoko, y’amadini, le résultat nimwe. Nta terambere bizana. Bizana indyane, bizana ukwinubana et on en reste toujours là à patauger comme dans une mare. Imyaka igahera, ugasanga gusa turi muri slogan, twarikukiye, turigenga…Mugabo waza kuraba les dividendes z’uko kwikukira, zuko kwigenga, ntazo ubona mu buzima bw’igihugu. Ukuntu twobikira, kurashoboka. Ni sacrifice de nos ego k’umwe umwe wese. | 1. I am going to complete those who preceded me. The main issues are discrimination and selfishness. Viewed from the angle of political parties, ethnic groups, religions, the outcome remains the same. This cannot lead our country to development. It follows rather conflicts and segregation. And we always stay there, wading in a pond. For years, chanting only slogans: “We are independent and sovereign”. However, when one makes an assessment, no dividends of this independence and sovereignty. The only way out is that each one of us should make sacrifices vis-à-vis our ego. |
| 2. Uno munsi, discrimination tugiriranira, siyo twagiriranira dans les années 1960. Mugabo uko yitwa kwose iguma aba ari discrimination. Discrimination twagiriranira dans les années 1980, siyo tugiriranira uno munsi, les bases ne sont pas les mêmes mugabo iguma yitwa discrimination. Ivyo rero nivyo tubwirizwa guhaguruka tukagwanya. | 2. Today’s discrimination is not like that of the 60s. Nevertheless, regardless of its form, it remains discrimination. The discrimination of the 80s is no more the same as that of today. The bases are not the same. It still remains discrimination, nonetheless. We must fight hard against it. |
| 3. Général ngaha yavuze ngo tuvugishe ukuri. Ukuri tugomvvye kukuvuga tubanza kwemanga d’abord les difficultés turimwo. | 3. The general urged us to express ourselves frankly. The truth demands that we first of all recognize the difficulties that the country is going through. |
| 4. None uno munsi twobeshanya ngo dusenyera ku mugozi umwe kandi hariho umwana n’ikinono muri gestion des affaires publiques ? Si voulez pour preuve genda murabe mu bakozi bakorera umushahara mu Burundi, plus de 90% bakora muri secteur public. Genda murabe rero muri abo bantu bakora muri secteur public, uhere hejuru muri présidence umanuke gushika muri zone hariya hasi. C’est une triste réalité. uza gusanga umengo la vie nationale est réduite ku mugambwe uri ku butegetsi. Ibi ndabivuze kandi ndavyemanga. C’est une triste réalité mugabo tuyibayemwo uko nyene. Ibiryanisha abarundi rero n’ivyo, naho bihera, n’ugukumirana. |
4. Can we say that we really stand together while Burundians are treated differently regarding the management of public affairs? As proof, among the employees in Burundi, more than 90% of them are from the public service. Go and check, from the presidency of the Republic to the zone, it is a sad reality. It is as if the national life was reduced to the ruling party. I make this assertion and assume it. It is a sad reality. Nevertheless, we live it as it is. It is this situation that divides Burundians. |
| 5. Mwavuze muti amategeko. Mugabo amategeko dufise arashobora kuba ari meza. Mugabo tuyasoma ukutariko. Tuyasomana ubugunge. Igituma mvuga ko tuyasomana ubugunge n’iki ? | 5. You insisted on the laws. We may have well elaborated laws. But, we interpret them incorrectly because we are guided by egocentrism. Why do I say that we interpret our laws with a selfish spirit? |
| 6. Uno munsi muravuga muti Rwasa sinkavuge ko ndi muri opposition. Très bien ! Mais à côté, vous dites ngo hariho opposition extraparlementaire. None hariho opposition extraparlementaire, suko hariho opposition parlementaire ? Mais parce que dans notre Parlement tuticara dans des blocs séparés, vous avez droit de dire peut-être que ata opposition ishoboka. Mugabo mu bihugu vyose bivuga ko biri démocratique habaho opposition na majorité. C’est une règle à laquelle il ne faut pas échapper. | 6. Today, you want me, Rwasa, not to say that I belong to the opposition. Alright! Besides, you say there is an extra-parliamentary opposition. So, if there is an extra-parliamentary opposition, doesn’t it imply the existence of a parliamentary opposition? Because in our Parliament we do not sit separately on the basis of the position of each other in relation to the majority, it is your right to say the opposition does not exist. But in all countries that claim to be democratic, the majority cohabits with the opposition. It is a rule from which one cannot escape. |
| 7. Hano, focus n’amatora. C’est une bonne chose. None, amatora akogwa na bande ? Akogwa n’aba citoyens, je pense. Alors, la question qui se pose ngaha n’iyihe ? On est citoyen quand ? On ne l’est pas quand ? Kuko umurundi wese akivutse akiri umwana mutoyi, il est citoyen mu gihe avutse ku bavyeyi b’Abarundi canke arashobora no kuba umu citoyen yaburonse. | 7.In our country, the focus is elections. This is a good thing. Who are the voters? Citizens, I think. So, what is the question? When is one a citizen? And when is one not a citizen? Because every Burundian is a citizen from birth when he/she is born of Burundian parents just as he/she can be when he/she acquires nationality. |
| 8. None, ko muvuga ngo ama coalitions abaho igihe c’amatora, campagne igeze, deux semaines de campagne. Niho abo bantu baba aba citoyens. Ahasigaye ntibabe aba aba citoyens ? Umwe arekurigwe kwiyumvira ibibazo vy’Uburundi, avyiyumvireko uwundi muvuge ngo kirazira. | 8. You say the coalitions are only operational during the election period, that is, in the two weeks of the campaign. It is at this moment that coalition members are citizens. Outside this period, aren’t they citizens? Why are some people allowed to participate in the political life of their country, while others are not? |
| 9. Uno munsi, secrétaire général wa Cndd-Fdd yavuze ati bamwe bamwe bose bara rekrita (recruter). Très bien ! Uri umunyepolitike utegerezwa ku rekrita. Cela n’est que normal. None, abo bantu mu rekrita, mugira aba alliés kugira babavugire nka Cndd-Fdd ni mubambike umutamana, hama mureke iyindi migambwe natwe twitunganye. | 9. Today, the Secretary-General of CNDD-FFD (ruling party) said that all political parties recruit. Alright! Every politician must recruit new members. It’s normal. So, those people you recruit, you make them allies to speak for the CNDD-FDD, give them your symbols and let us, from other political parties, organize ourselves. |
| 10. Uyu munsi murarahira mukanana ko Rwasa ntashobora kuba umu FNL. Pourquoi ? Général Evariste si wewe twahaririye, si wewe twagize ama négociations i Dar-Es-Salaam pour le compte du pouvoir nanje pour le compte ya Palipehutu FNL ? Uyu munsi mwe na prezida Nkurunziza bibahera he kwumva yuko kizira kikaziririzwa ko Rwasa mba umu FNL au point que tous les efforts de réconciliation za FNL zose ziba torpillés. |
10. You stick to your guns that I, Rwasa, cannot be a member of FNL. Why? General Evariste, isn’t you with whom I negotiated in Dar-Es-Salaam? You for the government and I for the PALIPEHUTU FNL? How come, you and President Nkurunziza support the idea that it is strictly forbidden that I, Rwasa, should be a member of FNL? So much that all FNL reconciliation efforts are torpedoed. |
| 11. Eh mama ngo sindabafasha, ngo sindabavugira. Jewe sinshobora kuva umuvugizi wa Cndd-Fdd. Ivyo nukuri ntavyo noshobora. Jewe je suis convaincu yuko ndi umu FNL. J’ai évolué dans ce mouvement-là. J’ai combattu le pouvoir de Bujumbura sous ce label-là. Uyu munsi rero que je nie mon histoire kugira nsatisfeze (satisfaire) vos intérêts ntavyo nshoboye. Aha ndiko ndavuga ukuri. Mwasavye ko tuvuga ukuri sindakuzire ariko. |
11. You accuse me of not pleading for you. I cannot be the spokesperson for CNDD-FDD. I’m not even able to do so. I am convinced I am a member of FNL. I evolved in that movement. I fought the government of Bujumbura under that label. I am not able to deny my history today to satisfy your interests. Here, I am telling you the truth as you asked us to tell. So, May I not be a victim of the very truth. |
| 12. Ikindi novuga par rapport ya 2020, nuko nimba turi ari citoyens burundais turibo kuva tukivuka gushika igihe amategeko yodukurako cette citoyenneté. Pour cela, dufise uburenganzira bwo kwiyumvira ivy’igihugu cacu à tout moment kandi dufise ico dushikiriza ni mutureke tugishikirize. Il ne faut pas nous inventer des textes zitagira sens kuko la constitution du Burundi uko yanditse, nul ne peut être discriminé pour quelque raison que ce soit, iyo ni article 22. L’article 19 de la même constitution-là ivuga ko, les chartes, les pactes et autres instruments internationaux que le Burundi a ratifiés sont coulés dans la constitution burundaise. Or, izo nazo, je ne suis pas juriste malheureusement, mugabo nibaza yuko naho ntoba metriza cane (maîtriser) cette matière, harimwo yuko mu ma droits fondamentaux y’abanyagihugu abaribo bose droit d’opinion, droit à la parole, yuko ico kintu kiri consacré. |
12. Moreover, in relation to the 2020 election, if we are indeed Burundian citizens, we have been so since our birth and this goes on until the law strips us of this citizenship. Therefore, we have the full right to exercise our rights at all times vis-à-vis the policy of our country. If we need to express ourselves, let us enjoy our right. You must not invent texts empty of meaning. For, in the Constitution of Burundi, as written in Article 22, no one can be discriminated against for any reason whatsoever. Article 19 of the same Constitution includes the charters, pacts and other international texts that Burundi has ratified. Unfortunately, I am not a lawyer to explain that. Even though I do not know much about laws, I think the right of opinion, the right to speak is included in fundamental rights for all peoples. |
| 13. None karashize ingani mugere naho mufata abantu nka groupe parlementaire ishatse kugira conférence de presse, muce muzana itegeko ry’imigambwe kugira muyampeshe (empêcher) gukora ico gikorwa. None uwo mushingamateka adashobora kwiyeexprima (s’exprimer), adashobora gu comunika (communiquer) n’abanyagihugu bamwizeye bakamuha amajwi, wewe mumuha agaciro akahe ? Mwavuze ngo twubahane, twubahe inzego. Très bien ! None aho mwarubashe inzego ? Aha ndiko ndavuga abatware. Ingorane aho ziri ni ka kantu ko kwikunda no gushaka kuburabuza abandi. |
13. . On top of that, you’re preventing a press conference from a parliamentary group justifying this decision by the law governing political parties.
What value do you give to this MP who cannot express himself, who cannot communicate with the people who elected him? You recommended us to respect each other, respect the institutions. Did you, yourself, respect the institutions? I am addressing the authorities. Problems have their root in egocentrism and the will to persecute others. |
| 14. Nimba mwemera yuko amatora ari ihiganwa, permettez à tout le monde de se préparer dans les mêmes conditions nka mwe twitegurire ayo matora. Si non, ce sera un vain mot mu gihe twovuga ngo turiko dutegura amatora bamwe bashobora kuba bafise uburenganzira bwo kuba en contact n’abanyagihugu abandi kizira kikaziririzwa. | 14. If you accept that the elections are a competition, allow everyone to prepare in the same conditions as you in relation to these elections. Otherwise, it will be a useless to say that we say we are preparing elections while some have the right to be in contact with the population whereas others do not. |
| 15. Abapolisi bo bavuga ngo twebwe twahawe amategeko, barakuvunagura nukuri. None uzokwitwara kwa nde ? | 15. Policemen say, “We received the order”. And they ill-treat you. Against whom will you file complaint? |
| 16. Nse nuwugaruka kuco Honorable Léonce yaherejeko. Jewe ndi umurundi. Singwaye imibembe. Kandi naho noba ngwaye imibembe, ubu si nka kera, iravugwa. Mugabo kera, usomye muri bibiliya, uwugwaye imibembe, c’était une impureté qui n’était pas tolérée dans la société juive. Ku buryo umuntu agwaye imibembe ataramukanya n’abantu, yaca kure yabo. | 16. I come back to what Léonce said in the end. I’m Burundian. I am not a leper. Even if I was a leper, today, it is not like in the past. Leprosy is curable. By reading the Bible, leprosy was an impurity, which was not tolerated in Jewish society. |
| 17. None Rwasa nk’umu citoyen Burundais, Rwasa nk’umushingamateka, nimba ngiye nkaramukanya n’umuntu, kuki uwo muntu basigara baramwirukako. Nyakubahwa murongoye umugambwe Cndd-Fdd, nimubwire abantu banyu boroshe imitima, bumve yuko kuramukanya n’uburenganzira abarundi twese dufise. Nta numwe ashobora kuba limité ngo uzoramukanye na naka ntuzoramukanya na naka. |
17. So, Rwasa as a Burundian citizen, Rwasa as a deputy, why is a person that I visit tormented afterwards? Mr. the Secretary General of CNDD-FDD, give your members an injunction to calm down the spirits. May they understand that visit is a right recognized to the Burundians. No one should be limited saying that he will visit this one but not the other. |
| 18. Ibi nubwo mwovuga kumbure ngo ni ugu plernisha (pleurnicher), C‘est une triste réalité. Des gens sont persécutés hirya no hino juste parce que bahuye nuyu canke n’uriya. Filature ikaba, ugiye ahantu bakagushirako ingenza. | 18. With these words, you might say that I whine. Nevertheless, people are persecuted here and there, just because they have met this or that one. When you go somewhere, they watch over you. |
| 19. Nta muntu yanka igihugu ciwe mers chers frères. Ntitwanka ubu Burundi. Twarabuvinikiyeko. Twarabukomerekeyeko. Mugabo twashaka ko situation iba plus détendue. Umuntu wese akishira, akizana. Si j’ai été dans la brousse, ce n’était pas parce que vyari biryoshe kubayo. Mugabo twashaka ko abarundi bishira bakizana. Mais malheureusement, agacinyizo karacariho. Ça règne en maître dans ce pays. Et c’est triste. | 19. My dear brothers, no one hates their country. We do not hate Burundi. We have been ill-treated and hurt for Burundi. We wanted the situation to be smooth, for all Burundians to enjoy their rights. If I happened to in the bush, it was not because it was enviable. I wanted the Burundians to be free. Unfortunately, the persecution still exists. It is rife in this country. It’s sad. |
| 20. Hariho ivyo numvise. Murambabarira. Je vais parler au conditionnel. Il y a nk’indwi nka zibiri, presque. Hariho umuntu akomeye muri Cndd-Fdd yoba yarakoresheje ikoraniro ryoba ryarabaye diffusé muri Rema tv na RTNB. Moi, je n’ai pas pu suivre ça. Ça a duré plus de 45 minutes ku babikurikiranye. Niko numvise bavuga. Muri ico kiganiro, akavuga yuko, je serais en peu étonné, yuko ngo Cndd-Fdd iri dans la droite ligne ishira mu ngiro iragi rya Gahutu Rémy. None ko mbona Cndd-Fdd umwanya wose ahubwo yatwirutseko, uyu munsi yokwi reklama (réclamer) camp de Gahutu Rémy gute ? | 20. There is something that I heard. You will excuse me; I am going to use the conditional form. Almost two weeks ago, a certain heavyweight of CNDD-FDD would have held a meeting. The latter was reportedly broadcast on Rema television and Burundi National Radio and Television (RTNB). I was not able to follow that. The program lasted more than 45 minutes. According to those who followed the meeting on television, on this show, he said :”I will be a little surprised” that CNDD-FDD is in the right line to concretize the vision of Gahutu Remy. How can CNDD-FDD, which has always persecuted us, claim itself of Gahutu Rémy? |
| 21. Ce n’est pas question de réclamer l’identité de ceci ou de cela. Siho nshingiye. Mugabo la conclusion par laquelle yaherejeko, avuga yuko ngo umwansi ari Rwasa n’abamuyoboka. Je trouve yuko inyigisho mwe nizo ko zoba ari zazindi zo gusasira indava inzigo n’inzankano. | 21. It’s not a question of claiming the identity of this or that. I do not stand by that. In his conclusion, he said Rwasa and his followers are the enemies. I find that these teachings carry animosity. |
| 22. Au cas où ivyo bintu vyoba vyarabaye, je demanderais yuko uwo muntu mumusaba aka retira (retirer) ces propos-là, nimba koko yarabivuze. Jewe sindi umwansi w’umurundi n’umwe. Il est vrai ko ntari umugenzi w’umurundi uwariwe wese. Mu mutima wiwanje, je n’ai aucune haine, aucune rancune contre qui qui que ce soit. Muba dans une organisation politique ou pas. Jewe pour moi, nuko les efforts conjugués zacu zotuma buno Burundi buva mu ngorane burimwo. |
22. If that would have been the case, I would ask that you require him to backtrack his remarks. I am not an enemy of any Burundian. It is true that I am not loved by all Burundians. I have no hatred, no grudge against anyone in my heart. Whether you are a member of a political organization or not. For me, I am looking for the combined efforts by all of us to take Burundi out of these problems in which it is at this moment. |
| 23. Nkasaba rero yuko, comme recommandation, novuga ku giti c’iwanje, amategeko uko yanditse, nimureke kuyakoresha uko atari. Uburenganzira bw ‘aba citoyens ni bungane. Nitube aba citoyens twese b’Uburundi. Ntihabe umwana n’ikinono. En matière politique, twese turonke uburenganzira bwo gukora no kwiyumvira ibibazo vya politike no kurondera twese gu contribua (contribuer) à une bonne évolution de notre nation. | 23. I personally recommend that you let the laws be applied as they are written. Let the rights of citizens be the same. That we are all citizens of Burundi. There should be the same treatment. In political matters, we should exercise all our political rights to contribute to the good development of our nation. |
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