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Burundi Parliamentary Vote Begins Friday

   Peter Clottey 22 July 2010
   Presidential  candidate  Agathon Rwasa sits underneath the portrait of
   Burundian   President  Pierre  Nkurunziza  during  an  interview  with
   journalists  in  the  south  western Burundian town of Rumonge, 12 May
   2010

Photo: AFP

   Burundi's  main  opposition  leader  Agathon Rwasa sits underneath the
   portrait  of Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza during an interview
   with  journalists  in  the south western Burundian town of Rumonge, 12
   May 2010

   A   leading   member  of  Burundiâs  opposition  Forces  for  National
   Liberation  (FNL)  has  called  on  supporters of his party as well as
   other   opposition  parties  to  boycott  the  parliamentary  election
   scheduled to begin Friday.

   Jean-Bosco  Habyarimana,  spokesman for the FNL accused both President
   Pierre   Nkurunzizaâs   government   and   the  Independent  Electoral
   Commission  (CENI) of undermining the credibility of the parliamentary
   vote.

   âIt  was  known  that  we  will  not participate in this election. You
   remember  we  rejected  the results of the (local) election because of
   the  fraud  that  characterized  those  elections.  We requested for a
   dialogue  in which we could maybe correct the problems and then try to
   get a solution but the government refused,â he said.

   Burundiâs  opposition  groups  rejected  the  results of the 24^th May
   local  elections,  saying it was fraught with irregularities and voter
   intimidation.  They  demanded a re-run of the vote. But, the electoral
   commission refused, saying the election was transparent and credible.

   Pierre  Claver  Ndayicariye,  chairman  of the electoral body said the
   parliamentary  vote  will  continue  as planned despite the opposition
   boycott.

   But, opposition leader Habyarimana said his party will not participate
   in an election in which the ruling National Council for the Defense of
   Democracy-Forces   for   the   Defense   of  Democracy  (CNDD-FDD)  is
   pre-determined to win.

   âThe one who refused us is the one who refused the dialogue so that we
   can  correct the faults that characterized the community elections. He
   is  the  one  who  (prevented)  us  from  continuing  in the electoral
   process,â Habyarimana said.

   He also described Fridayâs vote as illegal.

   âAll what is being done is against the lawâ he said.

   Habyarimana  said despite the boycott his party will continue to offer
   stiff opposition to President Pierre Nkurunzizaâs government.

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