Burundi elections to go ahead as scheduled: Envoy
Burundi's ambassador to the United Nations says the country’s upcoming parliamentary and presidential polls will go ahead as scheduled, rejecting further delays to the election calendar.
Speaking at a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Friday, Albert Shingiro said that 95 percent of Burundians want to take part in the votes and not remain hostage to what he called a “radical minority” seeking postponements to the key polls.
Shingiro also warned that another delay to the elections would result in a constitutional vacuum, adding, “The government simply cannot accept to tumble head first into an institutional vacuum, into a chasm.”
Earlier this month, the central African country announced a new timetable for the polls, delaying the presidential election from June 26 to July 15 and the legislative polls from June 5 to June 29.
Burundi’s UN envoy further noted that the elections’ timetable is “the latest possible” which will respect the country’s constitution.
Earlier Friday, representatives of all political opposition groups in Burundi announced plans to boycott the upcoming polls, citing lack of necessary conditions for a fair vote.
In a letter handed to the country’s election commission, the opposition parties said they will not take part in the polls unless conditions for “peaceful, transparent and inclusive” elections are prepared.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Bujumbura to seriously consider postponing the elections.
In a separate development on Friday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that over the past two months, almost 127,000 Burundians have registered as refugees in neighboring countries such as Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
UNHCR Spokesperson Adrian Edwards further warned that many more Burundians are thought to have left the troubled African state but have not registered as refugees.
Burundi plunged into turmoil late April when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced a decision to run for a third consecutive five-year term.
Opponents say Nkurunziza’s violates the country’s constitution and a 2006 peace deal that ended 13 years of civil war. They also argue that the current electoral commission panel lacks the authority as two of its five regular members are said to have fled the country.
At least 77 people have been killed in the landlocked African country in weeks of street protests that have been suppressed by the police and security forces.
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