Bujumbura, Burundi | AFP | Burundians will vote Wednesday in a tense general election, despite a largely-ignored outbreak of coronavirus which is set to be the first major challenge for the new president. President Pierre Nkurunziza, who has been in power since 2005, shocked observers by deciding to step aside, five …
Read More »Burundi: poor country wracked by ethnic conflict
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | The small, central African country of Burundi is one of the poorest in the world, with a history of political crises and ethnic massacres and a long civil war. Here are some key facts about the nation of 11 million people ahead of its May 20 …
Read More »UN ‘deeply’ regrets Burundi expulsion of WHO team
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | UN investigators said Thursday they deeply regretted Burundi’s expulsion of World Health Organization experts who were supporting the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Burundi booted out the experts as the country prepares to go to the polls on Wednesday to choose a new president, parliamentarians …
Read More »COVID-19: Burundi expels top WHO team
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundi has ordered the expulsion of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) expert team backing the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, just days before a presidential election. The foreign ministry, in a letter to WHO Africa headquarters and seen by AFP on Wednesday, said the …
Read More »Burundi launches poll campaign despite coronavirus fears
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundi on Monday launched a campaign for next month’s presidential, legislative and municipal elections, ignoring allegations of downplaying the risk of coronavirus and reports of violence against the opposition. Seven candidates are running in the May 20 polls in the small East African nation, where life …
Read More »Complaint filed with UN over Burundi ‘reprisals’ on lawyers
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | A legal complaint against Burundi was filed with a UN rights body on Thursday, over punitive actions taken against lawyers and activists who cooperated with a UN review of the country’s rights record. The International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) filed a complaint with the United Nations Committee against Torture …
Read More »Burundi’s ruling party picks Gen. Ndayishimiye
Gitega, Burundi | AFP | Burundi’s ruling party said Sunday that party leader General Evariste Ndayishimiye will stand as its candidate in a presidential election in May. Ndayishimiye is an ally of current President Pierre Nkurunziza who will not seek a new mandate after his controversial election to a …
Read More »Luxury villa, big cheque for outgoing Burundi presidents
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundi lawmakers on Tuesday adopted legislation offering a golden parachute to outgoing presidents, including a luxury villa and a one-off sum equivalent to more than half a million dollars. The move comes four months ahead of May 20 elections for which President Pierre Nkurunziza has said …
Read More »Who’s buying the biggest guns in East Africa?
Latest in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi firepower Kampala, Uganda | INDEPENDENT TEAM | Countries in the East African region continue to spend more on strengthening their armed forces, according to latest data. Although Kenya and Tanzania are the biggest spenders because of their relatively big budgets, most attention is on Uganda, …
Read More »4 Burundian journalists held for undermining state security
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Four journalists and their driver are still being held in Burundi after being arrested for undermining national security while covering a rebel attack from neighbouring DR Congo, the attorney general said. The Burundian reporters were detained on Tuesday last week while reporting in Bubanza, in the …
Read More »