Burundi Opposition Parties Challenge CENI’s Rejection of Electoral Lists

The Constitutional Court set to rule on opposition parties' appeals after CENI rejects several candidate lists for the upcoming elections.

Breaking BurundiJanuary 3, 20251 Mins read127

Parties have until January 11, 2025, to appeal to the Constitutional Court, according to CENI’s Prosper Ntahorwamiye / Ubumwe

The opposition party CDP announced on Friday that it has filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court following the rejection of its candidate lists by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) for the upcoming legislative elections. This makes CDP the latest political group to challenge CENI’s decisions.

In a statement, CDP urged its members to remain calm and patient while the court reviews their appeal. “We believe there was an error in CENI’s evaluation. The appeal to the Constitutional Court will restore our rights and allow us to contest the elections in all provinces,” said Anicet Niyonkuru, President of CDP. The party had submitted candidate lists for all five provinces, but only the list for Gitega was accepted.

Niyonkuru voiced concerns about the broader implications of these rejections, warning that they could undermine democracy in Burundi. “If this continues, the nation risks stagnation, further youth emigration, and diminished foreign investment,” he said.

The political coalition Burundi Bwa Bose, which includes prominent opposition figure Agathon Rwasa, also filed an appeal after CENI rejected all of its candidate lists. Rwasa, a key figure in Burundi’s opposition, was thereby excluded from participating in the 2025 legislative elections.

CENI cited breaches of the electoral code, including the alleged dual affiliation of some coalition candidates with the National Congress for Liberty (CNL), an opposition party not formally part of the coalition. The coalition refuted these claims, accusing CENI of misinterpreting the Electoral Code and hinting at “hidden motives” behind the rejections.

Prosper Ntahorwamiye, head of CENI, said that political parties and coalitions have until January 11, 2025, to lodge appeals with the Constitutional Court if they disagree with the commission’s decisions. Speaking at a press conference earlier on Friday, Ntahorwamiye emphasized that the Constitutional Court’s verdict would be final and binding.

So far, only two of Burundi’s 36 legally recognized political parties have fulfilled CENI’s requirements to participate in the upcoming elections for parliamentary and communal council seats, according to government-owned weekly newspaper Ubumwe.

The final list of eligible candidates is expected to be announced in eight days, marking a pivotal moment in the lead-up to Burundi’s legislative elections.