Opposition political parties in Burundi call on President Evariste Ndayishimiye to take concrete action to address the persistent issue of public fund mismanagement, which he has frequently denounced among government officials. The UPRONA and AND Intadohoka parties urge the president to move beyond rhetoric and implement measures that hold those responsible accountable.
UPRONA party leader Olivier Nkurunziza voiced frustration with the lack of tangible results, criticizing investigations that fail to lead to consequences. “We ask the president for concrete actions to punish those who embezzle public funds,” Nkurunziza said in an interview with local media. “Each time the president announces actions, but we see no results. These individuals continue to act without fear of consequence.”
Nkurunziza further emphasized that it is not enough for the president to merely announce intentions; the public wants to see those responsible punished and the stolen funds returned.
Similarly, Gaspard Kobako, president of the AND party, echoed the call for accountability, urging the president to identify and force perpetrators to return stolen money. He stressed that impunity prevents the country’s development and speculated that the president’s inaction could be due to external pressures beyond his control.
Despite these criticisms, President Ndayishimiye maintains that he has consistently taken action against those implicated in mismanagement, with some misappropriated funds reportedly being returned to public projects, such as the construction of the Intwari Stadium and the presidential palace in Gitega. He recently replaced the head of the Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR) and the Minister of Finance after a scandal involving the disappearance of over 110 billion Burundian francs over four months.
The president’s actions and the growing demand for accountability reflect the ongoing tension between government efforts and public expectations regarding corruption and mismanagement.
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