Gitega : a Tutsi replaces another Tutsi at the top of the Supreme Court

Gamaliel Nkurunziza is now president of the highest court in Burundi since Monday. He was approved by the upper chamber of the Burundian parliament during an extraordinary plenary session held in the political capital Gitega. This Tutsi from the province of Ngozi (northern Burundi) replaces Emmanuel Gateretse, another Tutsi in this position. Several other new judicial officials were approved by the Senate on the same occasion. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

It is Domine Banyankimbona, the Minister in charge of Justice who traveled from the commercial capital Bujumbura where her office is based, more than 100 kilometers away to present the name of Gamaliel Nkurunziza. She explained to the senators that Emmanuel Gateretse’s mandate had ended on October 28. Out of 39 senators, only one did not vote in favor of the new President of the Supreme Court.

Before being proposed as the new President of the highest civil and criminal court in the small East African nation, Gamaliel Nkurunziza held several other positions including that of Attorney General at the Ngozi Court of Appeal, that of Commissioner at the CNIDH (National Independent Human Rights Commission), that of Director General of Protocol and Consular Affairs and that of Burundi’s Ambassador to the Netherlands.

He is described as a “humble and discreet” man but who has strong support in the circle of decision-makers within the ruling party, the CNDD-FDD.

Recalling a message written by the new President of the Supreme Court in April 2020 in which he shared a photo of the late President Pierre Nkurunziza and President Ndayishimiye and where he mentioned the CNDD-FDD as “our good party”, the famous Burundian activist in exile Pacifique Nininahazwe reacted on his X account (formerly Twitter) on Monday, to the acceptance of Gamaliel Nkurunziza.

“Judges in Burundi do not have the right to belong to political parties. The new President of the Supreme Court, Gamaliel Nkurunziza, does not hide his membership to the CNDD-FDD. How will he handle cases involving opponents or opposition parties?”, he asked.

And to talk about the outgoing President of the Supreme Court “Emmanuel Gateretse, one of the worst presidents of the Supreme Court is finishing his term. The Senate approved on Monday Gamaliel Nkurunziza, a CNDD-FDD activist, at the top of the Court. Will he be able to overcome militancy and restore the image of the Burundian judicial system?”

The Supreme Court of Burundi comprises fifteen judges including a president, a vice-president and presidents of the chambers. The vice-president is ex officio president of the Chamber of Cassation.

On Monday, several other new judicial officials were approved by the upper chamber of parliament.

Eraste Ndayiragije, Hutu, was approved for the position of Attorney General at the Ntahangwa Court of Appeal in the north of the commercial city of Bujumbura at the time while Armand Bisesere, Tutsi, was taken to the position of Attorney General at the Makamba Court of Appeal in the south of the country.

The Senate also approved presidents of First Instance Tribunals of the provinces of Gitega (center), Bubanza (west), Muyinga (northeast), Ruyigi (east), Kirundo (north), Mwaro (center), Ntahangwa, Karusi (center-east) and Kayanza (north) that is 5 Hutus and 4 Tutsis.

The prosecutors of Makamba, Muha (south of Bujumbura), Muyinga, Mukaza (center of Bujumbura), Rumonge (southwest) and Rutana (southeast) that is 5 Hutus and one Tutsi also have new faces.

The new judicial representatives replace officials who were dismissed for corruption, assigned or elevated to other functions, declared Minister Banyankimbona.

Emmanuel Gateretse has been presiding over the Supreme Court since October 2019. His successor is now only waiting for the presidential decree – a blessing to fully occupy the new position. Last Friday, members of the High Council of the Judiciary gathered around President Évariste Ndayishimiye to first “anoint” the candidates for these very important judicial positions, especially on the eve of next year’s legislative elections.