The opposition party CDP calls for the immediate and unconditional release of one of its members, Egide Hakizimana, who was recently arrested amid what the party says is a growing pattern of intimidation and violence against its supporters.
As Burundi gears up for legislative and communal elections scheduled for June, the CDP says its members have come under repeated attack since the start of the campaign period. Speaking at a press briefing earlier on Wednesday, CDP Secretary-General and spokesperson Ferdinand Nkurunziza described the situation as alarming.
“Violence against our members has continued since the first week of the campaign,” Nkurunziza said. “Just on Tuesday, our member Jean Bukuru was severely beaten by young men aligned with the ruling party, right outside his home in Rweza, Bujumbura. We have no information about the whereabouts of four other people who were with him at the time.”
According to Nkurunziza, Bukuru is currently receiving medical treatment, and the party fears for the safety of other members.
The CDP says this latest incident is part of a broader trend of harassment, beatings, and threats targeting its activists across the country. On Monday, CDP president Anicet Niyonkuru raised similar concerns, citing multiple cases of intimidation reported from various provinces.
These claims stand in stark contrast to the government’s assessment of the situation. Earlier this week, Interior Minister Martin Niteretse downplayed the incidents, calling them “minor” and praising the overall conduct of the first week of the campaign.
But CDP leaders say the reality on the ground tells a different story—and they are not alone. Other opposition groups have also voiced alarm over the climate of political repression. At the start of the campaign, CNL, a key opposition party, also decried rising political intolerance. Days later, the Burundi Bwa Bose opposition coalition reported cases of intimidation targeting its members.
This wave of complaints comes despite President Evariste Ndayishimiye’s public appeal earlier this month for a democratic and respectful campaign. Speaking in Gitega at the launch of the election period, the president urged all political actors to embrace peaceful competition.
The CDP is now demanding the release of Egide Hakizimana, the party’s representative in Rutana Province and a candidate for parliament in the expanded Burunga region. According to Nkurunziza, Hakizimana was arrested for allegedly collecting a voter card on behalf of a friend—an act the party argues was both lawful and misrepresented.
“We are asking for his unconditional release,” Nkurunziza said. “We also demand that those behind the violence against our members be held accountable.”
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