Butanyerera: An election without suspense, an opposition without a voice

SOS Médias Burundi

Ngozi, July 23, 2025 – The senatorial election held this Wednesday in the newly created province of Butanyerera, in the north of the small East African nation, resulted in a sweeping victory for the ruling CNDD-FDD party, reaffirming its unchallenged grip on local political power.

According to unofficial figures obtained from local electoral sources, the CNDD-FDD’s Hutu candidate reportedly secured 200 out of 201 votes, while his Tutsi running mate received all 201 votes, representing a unanimous endorsement from the electoral college. Only one invalid ballot was recorded.

Other political parties participating in the election, including UPRONA and CNL, failed to receive a single vote. This outcome, observers say, reflects a complete lack of competition in a process that is, in theory, meant to embody the country’s political diversity.

A swift, incident-free vote

The election took place at the provincial headquarters in Ngozi, beginning at 6 a.m., in the presence of grand electors from the communes of Butanyerera. As mandated by the Burundian Constitution, each province elects two senators: one from the Hutu community and one from the Tutsi community.

The Diocesan Commission for Peace (CODIP), present on-site as an observer, reported that the vote proceeded calmly and without major incident.

The electoral process continues

Désiré Minani, president of Butanyerera’s Provincial Independent Electoral Commission (CEPI), praised the turnout of the grand electors and announced the next phase in the electoral calendar: the election of communal councils, scheduled for Thursday, July 24, 2025.