Burundi’s ruling party, CNDD-FDD, appears headed for a sweeping victory in recent communal elections, even as the country’s human rights commission raises concerns over irregularities in the voting process.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the National Commission for Human Rights (CNIDH) acknowledged a series of “isolated” incidents during last week’s elections and called on the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) to exercise greater vigilance ahead of upcoming polls.
CNIDH said it had monitored the entire electoral process—from the campaign period to voting day—and documented several issues. These included voters carrying more than one voter card at a polling station in Rutana Province, voting booths placed in ways that compromised privacy, and the absence of party representatives in some polling stations. The commission said these problems were resolved on the spot, but nonetheless pointed to flaws in election management.
While the campaign period was generally peaceful, CNIDH reported receiving complaints of intimidation, physical violence, torn voter cards, and the obstruction of political rallies. Though described as isolated, these incidents raised enough concern for the commission to call on authorities to strengthen democratic protections and ensure fairness in future elections.
The commission’s findings echo concerns raised by opposition parties, including the National Congress for Liberty (CNL) and the Union for National Progress (UPRONA), both of which have criticized the electoral process as deeply flawed and called for a full review of the results.
Despite these criticisms, preliminary figures released by provincial electoral commissions suggest a dominant performance by CNDD-FDD. According to early tallies, the party has secured nearly all communal council seats across the country’s 42 communes of the five newly organized provinces, tightening its grip on local governance.
In Butanyerera Province, the ruling party reportedly won around 99 percent of the vote, with opposition parties receiving less than one percent each. In Burunga, CNDD-FDD took 174 out of 176 seats, with UPRONA and CNL each claiming one. Similar trends were seen in Buhumuza, where the party garnered roughly 97 percent of the vote. In Gitega, CNDD-FDD narrowly missed a full sweep, falling short by eight seats—seven of which went to UPRONA and one to CNL. Meanwhile, in Bujumbura Province, provisional results show CNDD-FDD winning 272 out of 275 seats, with the remaining three, all from Mukaza commune, split between the two opposition parties.
As of Tuesday evening, neither CNL nor UPRONA had issued formal statements in response to the preliminary results. The electoral commission is expected to announce provisional parliamentary outcomes on Wednesday.
In the meantime, CNIDH has urged the electoral body to prioritize transparency and democratic integrity moving forward. “Public trust in the electoral process will depend heavily on how future elections are conducted,” the commission warned.
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