The “Burundi Bwa Bose” coalition, which includes the political parties FDES Sangira, CODEBU, CNDD, and Sahwanya-FRODEBU, has expressed deep concerns over the current preparations for the 2025 elections, citing irregularities that could undermine the electoral process. Members of the coalition have raised alarms about potential bias and exclusion, highlighting issues with the election calendar, the appointment of CENI (National Independent Electoral Commission) members, and the formulation of the electoral law.
In a recent statement, the coalition condemned the rushed timeline set by CENI, which issued the electoral calendar shortly after the presidential decree calling for elections on December 7, 2024. By December 9, CENI began requesting candidate lists for communal and legislative elections, a process that the coalition argues is unrealistic and fails to provide sufficient time for parties to organize.
“The rushed electoral calendar disregards the necessary time for political parties and coalitions to hold their congresses, form alliances, and prepare their candidate lists,” according to the statement. “CENI’s approach puts undue pressure on opposition parties, making it difficult to participate fairly in the elections.”
Despite these challenges, the coalition says it officially registered as a political alliance with the Ministry of the Interior on December 18, 2024, and submitted its candidate lists to the CEPI (Independent Provincial Election Commission), which accepted some of them. However, CENI rejected the coalition’s legislative candidate lists, citing the inclusion of some candidates whose parties are not members of the coalition, despite the coalition’s efforts to correct the lists and secure a favorable ruling from the courts.
Furthermore, CENI instructed coalitions to revise their communal candidate lists between January 13 and January 15, 2025, but when the coalition requested its original lists for correction, CEPI officials refused, citing a lack of authorization from CENI. This delay led to the expiration of the deadline, effectively barring the coalition from participating in the elections.
The coalition has condemned CENI’s conduct, accusing the commission of bias and complicity with the ruling party. “CENI’s actions demonstrate that it is not independent and cannot be trusted to oversee free and fair elections,” the statement continued.
In response, the coalition has called on the President of Burundi to intervene and ensure the coalition is given a fair opportunity to revise its lists and participate in the elections. They also urged the Constitutional Court to closely monitor CENI’s actions and ensure compliance with the law.
“We appeal to the Constitutional Court to hold CENI accountable for its actions and ensure that the electoral process remains transparent and inclusive,” said the coalition. “Any negative consequences resulting from poorly organized elections will be the responsibility of those who have contributed to these irregularities.”
The coalition remains committed to upholding democratic principles and calls for a transparent, fair, and inclusive electoral process for the 2025 elections, ensuring that all parties and coalitions can participate without discrimination.
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