Burundi's Nkurunziza sells ‘legacy’ to regain global support

Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza. Since the 2015 failed coup he rarely leaves the country. AFP PHOTO

Amid uncertainties over Burundi’s commitment to conduct credible elections in May 2020, President Pierre Nkurunziza is selling an unlikely glowing legacy to have his administration reintegrated into the international community.

Isolated by the European Union, the US and EA neighbours over his successful bid for a controversial third term in 2015, President Nkurunziza has presided over a government so short of funds that civil servants had to ‘’donate’’ their salaries to fund the upcoming council, legislative and presidential elections.

His pledge that he will not vie in 2020—repeated by Burundi’s representative in the UN Security Council last week—has come with urgent pleas for development and humanitarian support as the government targets self-financial reliance “soon”.

In a report to the Security Council on October 31, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that President Nkurunziza considered that the three main objectives of his tenure—peace, security and justice for all; good governance and democracy; and inclusive and sustainable development—had been met.

He said that Burundi would soon be financially independent and, consequently, become self-sufficient.

He also recalled events preceding the 2015 elections and asserted that there were still a few Burundians who were trying to destabilise the country.

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