Burundi On Track in EAC Peace Deal By 80 Per Cent

East African Eagle

JF-Expert Member
Jul 26, 2013
3,759
2,205
BURUNDI President Pierre Nkurunziza has started implementing decisions reached at the Extraordinary Meeting of the East Africa Community (EAC) Heads of State last month. Mr Nkurunziza reported the development to the EAC Council of Ministers, chaired by the Minister for East African Cooperation, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, who visited Burundi last Monday.

The Burundi leader said his government has implemented 80 per cent of the agreement, including pushing forward the elections date. Parliamentary elections will be conducted on June 29 while the presidential poll will be done on July 15.

The visit was a result of the emergency EAC Heads of State Summit held on May 31 in Dar es Salaam to discuss the political situation in Burundi. A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation noted that the official visit to Burundi by the council was meant to officially present President Nkurunziza with the decisions by the heads of state.

The delegation included Uganda's Minister for East Africa Affairs, Shem Bageine, who was accompanied by the Minister of State for Regional Cooperation Philemon Mateke; South African Deputy Minister of State Security Ellen Molekane and the Permanent Secretary in the Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Liberata Mulamula. Kenya and Rwanda were represented by their ambassadors in Burundi. Burundi was represented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Leontine Nzeyimana, and the Minister for Home Affairs, Edourd Nduwimana.

President Nkurunziza explained that the remaining 20 per cent will be implemented after the country's general elections, noting that it needed participation of all citizens. Among the decisions that need public participation is the amendment of the country's current constitution and making changes to the national electoral commission.

The Burundi president added that his government has also started the process to disarm all groups and, already, 100,000 arms have been collected. His government has also started taking steps to return home all refugees and more than 40,000 refugees have returned home. He told the delegates that all political parties in Burundi are ready for the general elections as planned and are conducting campaigns.



Source:
DAILY NEWSPAPER
 
0 Reactions
Reply
Back
Top Bottom