Burundi's political crisis

On May 17, 2018, Burundians overwhelmingly voted for constitutional changes that could potentially see President Pierre Nkurunziza stay in office until 2034. The opposition claimed the vote was marred by intimidation and fraud. In 2015, protests erupted as Nkurunziza announced that he would run for a controversial third term. According to UN reports, at least 1,200 people died during the unrest.

In April 2015, President Nkurunziza only had a few months left in office. Burundian law stipulates that a president should only serve for two terms, meaning that Nkurunziza would have had to step down. The president, however, announced that he would stand for another election.

In response, the streets of Bujumbura erupted in protest. In May 2015, the demonstrations had developed into a full-blown political crisis. A military coup attempt was quickly quashed. At the same time police and security forces cracked down on protesters and in return, government opponents attacked security officials. Reports of brutality and torture in police custody emerged.

On July 21, 2015 Burundians went to the polls. A few days later, Pierre Nkurunziza was declared the winner. The results were to be expected, as the opposition had boycotted the vote. Opposition leader, Agathon Rwasa at first refused to accept the results. To the disappointment of other government critics, he called for a unity government a short while later.

In the following months, death threats and assassination attempts against opposition members, critics, but also government officials occured recurrently. Nkurunziza’s security chief, Adolphe Nshimirimana and human rights activist Pierre-Claver Mbonimpa (pictured above) are amongst the most prominent cases. Mbonimpa survived after being shot at least four times but lost his son and son-in-law.

On December 11, 2015, government opponents attacked four military bases in Bujumbura. A day later, army troops descended on oppositional strongholds in the capital. Residents reported dozens of deaths. Altogether over 100 people are said to have died during the clashes. As a response the African Union offered to send peacekeeping troops to the country, but Nkurunziza refused any intervention.

We can’t ignore such a crisis of such dimension, Adama Dieng, the UN’s special advisor for the prevention of genocide declared in late 2015. Humanitarian crisis was at its peak at the time. To date, nearly 400,000 Burundian refugees still live outside the country.

In January 2016, the African Union attempted to mediate in talks between the government and the opposition. Yet the conference in Arusha in neighboring Tanzania was repeatedly postponed. When the talks began in May, a major opposition coalition, CNARED, was excluded and the talks were regarded as a sham from the start.

As time passed life returned to normal in the streets of Bujumbura, yet under the surface, political grievances remained the same. In September 2016, UN investigators reported evidence of grave human rights violations including torture and killings through state actors. The investigators also warned about the rising ethnic tension.

In the meantime, Nkurunziza‘s government planned constitutional reforms. In August 2016, a government commission proposed changes to the constitution that would scrap presidential term limits. Nkurunziza himself hinted that he was considering a fourth term in office in 2020.

At the start of 2017, the political situation remained tense. Militia belonging to the Imbonerakure youth wing continued to spread fear amongst the people. Despite international pressure and sanctions from the European Union, Nkurunziza’s stance remained unchanged.

In November 2017, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague opened an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity in Burundi. The prosecution accused the government of launching a widespread and systematic attack against civilians. A month earlier, Burundi was the first country in Africa to withdraw from the ICC and the Rome Statute.

On May 11, 2018 unknown gunmen attacked residents in the province of Cibitoke. At least 26 people died. The government accused 'terrorists' from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo for the attack. The deadly incident occurred just days ahead of the constitutional referendum on May 17 that could potentially allow Nkurunziza to stay in office until 2034.