Mutwana : exclusion and essure on the sidelines of the village-based elections

SOS Médias Burundi,

Rutana, July 4, 2025 – As the elections of councilors for village on Mutwana village approach, located in the Butezi zone of Giharo district, Rutana province, southeastern Burundi, tensions and accusations of injustice are fueling the pre-election climate. Four candidates, initially registered, denounce their arbitrary exclusion from the electoral list, which they attribute to pressure from influential officials of the ruling CNDD-FDD party.

The candidates in question are :

Côme Binamungu

Zabulon Nyandwi

Gloriose Nahimana

Nathanaël

Although their candidacies were submitted in accordance with the rules, several local sources indicate that CNDD-FDD representatives have demanded their withdrawal from the Independent District Electoral Commission (CECI) of Musongati.

Among the individuals singled out are :

Bernard Ntirandekura, CNDD-FDD representative in Mutwana

Cyriaque Komezurugendo, representative in the Butezi zone

Rénovat Hakizimana, representative in Giharo district

Sylvain Nzikoruriho, representative in Burunga province

Vincent Nemerimana, village chief of Mutwana and head of the CNDD-FDD list

A biased election?

According to confidential information, some CNDD-FDD members have already considered these elections a mere formality : “We’ll just read the list, no need to vote. The die is cast,” they reportedly said. This statement casts serious doubt on the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.

The four excluded candidates are reportedly accused of not being official members of the CNDD-FDD, but rather supporters or members of other parties, notably UPRONA. In this district, the ruling party authorities want all village chiefs to be exclusively Bagumyabanga (CNDD-FDD members), which they believe justifies this exclusion.

Double standards

The excluded candidates also denounce the unequal application of the criteria : certain documents required to validate opposition candidacies are ignored for CNDD-FDD candidates, thus creating discriminatory treatment.

This situation has created a climate of insecurity and anxiety among the residents of Mutwana. Many are calling for the reinstatement of the four candidates to ensure a fair and equitable electoral process.

A national problem?

According to CNDD-FDD activists themselves, this type of practice is not isolated to Mutwana. Similar cases have been reported in other districts, where candidates perceived as unfavorable to the ruling party are systematically excluded, raising questions about the credibility of the electoral process at the national level.