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During President Pierre Nkurunziza’s reign, Burundi, the tiny East African nation and one of the world’s poorest nations, was marked by extrajudicial killings, a failed and ethnic division.
There was armed violence, civil and human rights abuses, while food insecurity and economic hardship were the order of the day.
He presided over wide-scale purges of opponents and muffled the press.
The self-proclaimed pastor oversaw the rise of the much dreaded Imbonerakure – militias that terrorized any real and perceived opponents.
The 2015 violence left about 1,200 Burundians dead and Over 400,000 left for shelter in other nations, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
During his 15 year rule, the football-loving president, Burundi’s foreign image was tainted.
Burundi’s international relations ranged from frosty to toxic
The country almost went to war with immediate neighbor Rwanda [with whom they share a lot In common].
Burundi under Nkurunziza was cast as a global pariah.
International financial and economic support was all but frozen. Burundi became hostile towards the international community. It purged national and international NGOs, and expelled the personnel of international institutions including World Health Organisation’s country representative.
The turn around
When Evariste Ndayishimiye succeeded Nkurunziza as president in June last year, he embarked on a diplomatic charm. A new chapter was written- many agree with this line.
The country’s image seem to have taken a positive direction.
Last month, the country’s Foreign Affairs Minister Albert Shingiro revealed that his country and the European Union accelerated talks on lifting sanctions imposed by the bloc.
In 2015, the EU had placed penalties on some politicians and state officials and froze government financing.
The EU froze $514m of funding and Belgium blocked disbursement of 60m euro to the country that depends on foreign aid for much of its budget.
Pierre Nkurunziza’s lofty title’s dropped
Last week, there were reports that the lower house of Burundi will amend the law of March 10, 2020 which conferred on the late President Pierre Nkurunziza the title of “supreme guide of patriotism”
In 2018 the ruling party called the late “the eternal supreme guide,”
Before his death, Burundi lawmakers approved legislation [In January 2020] that would effectively hand him a handsome retirement package that includes a one-time payment of $530,000.
Some of the perks he was set to receive included; a luxury villa built with public funds in the location of his choice, a one-pay off of $530,000 and a lifetime salary equal to that of a lawmaker.
Never mind, In Burundi, more than 65 percent live in poverty and 50 percent of the country is food-insecure, according to the UN’s World Food Programme
Refugee’s return home
In an 28th April 2021, meeting with Filippo Grandi the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, President Ndayishimiye touched on mass repatriation of Burundian refugees from Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and other refugee hosting countries.
The government expects 150,000 [out of the over 400,000] to return home this year and about 21,000 have been repatriated since the start of 2021, according to Security Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca.
Nkurunziza’s unexpected death in June last year, led many to believe they can safely return home under the leadership of the new President Évariste Ndayishimiye.
Relations with Rwanda
Since President Ndayishimiye took over office last year, relation between the two countries improved as dialogue was conducted by the country’s officials in efforts to normalize relations.
During his remarks at RPF Inkotanyi National Executive Committee meeting this May, President Paul Kagame told the audience that Burundi and Rwanda are working together to find solutions.
“We want to live peacefully with Burundians, and Burundi has also shown the willingness to do so”.
He added ‘’ things are going well now’’.
Early this year, President Ndayishimiye said he hoped the two countries would get along well in the near future. “[Rwanda] should not remain the only country in the world that acts unfriendly to Burundi, we speak the same language, we are brothers,” he said
World Bank Boosts Burundi Health System
April this year, The World Bank Group approved additional financing of $54.6m for the Health System Support Project. Like the parent project, this additional financing from the International Development Association seeks to increase the use of quality Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health services. Said Jean Christophe Carret, World Bank Country Director for Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola.
Last word
Strongmen believe everything starts and ends with them. Burundi is an example that a country is bigger an individual. Secondly leaders need to transfer power peacefully to let others take the country to another level they have failed to reach.
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