Bubanza: former MP Fabien Banciryanino sparks controversy

On the occasion of the commemoration of the assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye, former deputy Fabien Banciryanino brought a flower on which is inscribed that the democracy that Ndadaye advocated has not yet taken place. This sparked a controversy. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Several political parties, the administration in the province of Bubanza (western Burundi) and the former independent deputy Fabien Banciryanino laid wreaths of flowers in memory of the hero of democracy, 29 years after his death.

Banciryanino was the last to lay the wreath, on which was written in block letters “Demokrasi wasize ntiturayironka” (the democracy you left, we have not yet benefited from its fruits).

These writings created a controversy within the political class, the police and the administration present at the place of the ceremonies.

The chief of Bubanza zone, Jean Marie Nyabenda, a very zealous Imbonerakure (member of the youth league of the ruling CNDD-FDD party) who played the role of moderator in the ceremonies made a comment in the direction of the former deputy, known for openly speaking the truth.

He felt that Fabien Banciryanino has not yet understood what democracy is.
“He will understand what democracy is later”, insisted the zone manager.

The provincial police commissioner also took offense. He even took a picture of the writings. This did not worry Mr. Banciryanino.

“They may have tried to prevent me from laying it, but it would have done me no harm”, criticized the man who spent a year in prison between October 2020 and October 2021, accused among other things of “rebellion, slanderous denunciations and attack to the internal security of the State” for remarks made while he was still elected by the people in the hemicycle of Kigobe (north of the commercial city Bujumbura) where the deputies sit.

Residents of Bubanza deplored the interference of the Imbonerakure in the judicial system.

“They are always there to arrest the weakest and the opponents”, they regret.

“They didn’t understand anything about what Ndadaye called democracy”, said one resident.