Two local SCOs concerned over contributions to 2020 elections

Following the publication of the provisional amount to be used in 2020 elections, civil society organizations raise concerns over transparency on how the contributions are made. Gabriel Rufyiri, Chairman of OLUCOME, a local corruption watchdog, says the Finance Ministry should establish the final amount that will be used in 2020 elections. “Burundi government is not sure of the real amount to be used in the next elections,” he says.

Gabriel Rufyiri: “The Finance Ministry should make public the already collected amount for more transparency”

Rufyiri also says the amount already collected is not reliable following different contributions reported. ‘The Finance Ministry should make public the collected amount for more transparency. This will help Burundians to believe in their government officials and contribute more,’ he says.
Mr Rufyiri doesn’t, however, believe that Burundi government will successfully collect about BIF 70 billion needed for the conduct of the 2020 elections .‘Burundians are currently living in dire straits. I don’t think that the beginning speed will remain the same within the next two years before the conduct of the elections,’ he says.

Gabriel Rufyiri urges Burundi government to adopt other strategies to collect this amount in the absence of foreign aid.

The same view is shared by Gérard Hakizimana, chairman of FOLUCON F, a local civil society organization- involved in the fight against nepotism and favoritism in Burundi. He appreciates the step made by Burundi government in the collection of contributions to the 2020 elections. He, however, says the activity should continue in more transparent ways. ‘Burundians need to know if their contributions have really reached their real destination,’ he says.

Hakizimana says Burundians have experienced cases of economic embezzlement over the past few years. ‘Burundi government should seriously control the contribution process,’ he says.
Moreover, the FOLUCON F chairman exhorts Burundi government to not persecute those who could not contribute due to poverty. ‘Vulnerable people exist in Burundi should do their best to contribute the minimal amount to 2020 elections,’ he says.

Domitien Ndihokubwayo, Minister of Finance and Planning has said the government officials and the other category including legal and natural persons have already contributed BIF 17, 205, 774,664 until 31 May 2018 out of BIF 70 billion expected to be used in 2020 elections. He also said the category of unemployed people will start contributing by July 2018.