Burunga : CEPI accused of authoritarian drift, the opposition denounces CNDD-FDD takeover

SOS Médias Burundi

Burunga, May 13, 2025 – With just two months to go before the elections, the Burundian opposition is sounding the alarm. In Burunga province (southern Burundi), political parties opposed to the CNDD-FDD and the Burundi Bwa Bose coalition accuse the Independent Provincial Electoral Commission (CEPI) of blocking the electoral process. In the crosshairs : Philemon Nahabandi, president of the CEPI Burunga, suspected of serving the interests of the ruling party.

According to several local sources, Nahabandi refused to publish the lists of polling stations, thus preventing competing parties from appointing their representatives. As a result, only members affiliated with the CNDD-FDD end up occupying key positions at the polling stations.

Protests within the CEPI and the CECI themselves

In a rare development, voices are also being raised internally. Members of the CEPI and the Independent District Electoral Commissions (CECI) denounce opaque and authoritarian management.

“The CEPI no longer acts in a collegial manner. All decisions are imposed by a single person, and he clearly seems to take his orders from the CNDD-FDD,” confided a member of the commission, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Imbonerakure in battle order

Last Sunday, across the province’s villages, the youth of the ruling party—the Imbonerakure—held closed-door meetings. The objective : to closely supervise the electoral process, but also to monitor electoral agents. The latter, although appointed by the CNDD-FDD, are considered unreliable because they are often young, unemployed, and considered “uncontrollable.”

According to several accounts, disturbing orders were given to activists :
“If they don’t cooperate, intimidate them. And if they resist, eliminate them,” a local official reportedly said during a meeting.
Another chilling statement was heard in another village : “Some voters registered without intending to vote. We will use their cards and vote for the CNDD-FDD.”

A climate of pre-election tension

These local meetings follow others organized at the zonal level, a sign of a well-rehearsed strategy in the run-up to the election. For the opposition, these actions reflect a deliberate attempt to distort the rules of democratic governance.

The Burundi Bwa Bose coalition calls for an immediate response from national and international authorities to ensure the transparency of the electoral process in this tense province.

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Voters ready to cast their votes in Burundi (SOS Médias Burundi)