In Burundi, a spokesman and senior advisor to President Pierre Nkurunziza has launched a series of social media messages condemning a global human rights organization’s unconventional campaign to warn against genocide. Willy Nyamitwe continued his Twitter storm early Wednesday against International Federation for Human Rights and the #Stopthismovie campaign. The…
Burundi legislators voted Wednesday to withdraw from the International Criminal Court and the Rome Statute agreement that authorizes and governs it. Burundi becomes the first African nation to vote to leave the ICC, as Kenya, South Africa and other African Union nations also have considered in recent years. The National…
A team of United Nations investigators have been sent to Burundi to look into abuses and arbitrary killings in the country, reported DW. The three investigators are from Algeria, South Africa and Colombia and reportedly are due to give their preliminary findings at the end of March. Since Pierre Nkurunziza…
The Burundi crisis remains one of chief concerns for fellow African nations, as well deep diplomatic engagement from United Nations. Intent on winning a peaceful resolution in the East African nation, the UN has achieved agreement from Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza’s in recent days to release over 2000 prisoners and…
As five African leaders arrived in Bujumbura Thursday, they certainly are engaging a more emboldened President Pierre Nkurunziza who apparently, has regained the upper hand in the ongoing conflict. This comes after a confidential report to the United Nations Security Council by experts accused Rwanda of training anti Nkurunziza rebels….
Frank Kagabo is a freelance journalist.
Today AFP reported that a confidential United Nations memo sent to the Security Council last week was leaked. The document stated that peacekeeping forces in Burundi are not prepared to prevent potential disaster in the country. The memo was sent by Herve Ladsous, the UN peacekeeping chief and recommended that…
A meeting in Uganda at the end of 2015 to resolve the conflict in Burundi did little to bring hope to the violence ravaged East African nation, serving only to highlight the crisis as the region’s most pressing security issue in the coming year. Last week on December 28 Uganda’s…
Paul Busharizi is currently a contributing editor (Business & Politics) at the Uganda's leading daily the New Vision.
The former senior officer in Burundi’s army announced that he along with other officers from the army are forming a rebel group called the Republican Forces of Burundi. Lieutenant Colonel Edouard Nshimirimana formed the rebel movement with the aim to protect those Burundians who are protesting and being killed by…
“Burundi is at bursting point, on the very cusp of a civil war,” said he UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein. Fears are mounting as actions taken by the Burundi government resonate with those who recall the 12-year civil war in the country. However, these…
Fighting has once again broken out in the capital of Burundi, killing several people. The assault began when gunmen attacked two military sites in Bujumbura during a coordinated onslaught. Violent acts such as this are happening far too often in this small east African country. Since Pierre Nkurunziza announced he…
“Burundi is a proud and beautiful country. But in recent months, the future of the land you love has been put at risk. Leaders have spewed hateful rhetoric. Terrible acts of violence have taken the lives of innocent men, women and children. From Burundi’s painful past, we know where this…
Concerns about violence in Burundi are continuing to increase. Yesterday, a son of a Burundian human rights activist was killed after he was arrested, reported AP. United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon released a statement yesterday declaring that “the recurring violence and killings in Burundi must stop”. The statement continued…
Burundi — What does a despot do when he knows his last term to rule his people has ended and that he isn’t really going to be the right leader sitting on the throne anymore? Especially if he is fearful of what “enemies” he has made in the process of…
Ignatius Ssuuna is an investigative journalist based in Rwanda.
Senior Burundian officials have announces they are in support of dialogue with the opponents of President President Pierre Nkurunziza’s administration. “Political dialogue is an ongoing process in Burundi. We have remained open and ready to talk to whoever has a stake in this crisis,” the government spokesperson, Gervais Abayeho, told The…
Amnesty International has released a statement saying that Burundi’s security forces used torture on those whom they suspected to be opponents of President Pierre Nkurunziza during his bid for his controversial third term. The report written by the rights group details torture and ill treatment used on “persons who belong…