Elections in Burundi : the CNIDH welcomes “generally satisfactory” poll, the opposition decries a charade

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, June 11, 2025 – The Independent National Human Rights Commission (CNIDH) on Tuesday praised the smooth conduct of the June 5 district and legislative elections. In a public statement read by its Vice-President, Gérard Rugemintwaza, the institution, which had deployed observers throughout the country, described the polls as “peaceful and generally satisfactory,” organized, it said, in compliance with democratic standards.

The CNIDH welcomes the strong voter turnout, the security climate, and the commitment of law enforcement, who reportedly supervised the vote without major incidents. It did, however, acknowledge a few “isolated irregularities,” such as delays in opening certain polling stations, logistical anomalies, and the absence of party representatives in several polling stations. However, the Commission believes these problems did not affect the overall validity of the election.

The institution also highlights “the effort to include vulnerable people” and states that it has not recorded any serious acts such as violence, torture, or disappearances.

Contradictory testimonies : qnother face of the election

But this positive picture is far from a consensus. Testimonies collected by SOS Médias Burundi paint a much more worrying picture in almost all of the country’s provinces. In Bururi, Cibitoke, Muyinga, Rutana, Bubanza, Makamba, Karusi, Gitega, Ngozi, Kayanza, Rumonge, Bujumbura, Kirundo, Cankuzo, and Ruyigi, serious irregularities and acts of intimidation were reportedly numerous.

“In Bururi, Imbonerakure patrolled polling stations. They filmed voters and intimidated those they suspected of not voting for the CNDD-FDD,” an independent observer reported.

In Muyinga, a voter claimed to have seen a man vote several times with different voter cards. This practice was also reported in Rutana.

Candidates from the National Council for Freedom (CNL) and UPRONA denounced the systematic eviction of their representatives from many polling stations, often under direct threat from youths affiliated with the ruling party.

“It’s an electoral hold-up. Our representatives were chased away, the minutes were tampered with, and ballot stuffing was reported even in the most remote rural areas,” denounced a CNL official in the future province of Buhumuza.

In several localities, witnesses claim that the army and police were mobilized to prevent the opposition from attending the vote count. In Cibitoke, ballot boxes were reportedly escorted by armed men to unknown destinations, outside of any official CENI supervision.

The CNIDH calls for peace, but arouses suspicion

Despite these accusations, the CNIDH does not mention any specific investigation underway. It calls for maintaining a peaceful climate and urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) to ensure the transparency of the process.

However, several civil society organizations perceive the CNIDH’s position as “complacent” and out of touch with reality.

“Acknowledging an election without having been present in the most contested areas raises questions,” says a human rights defender. “It gives the impression of anticipated political validation.”