EngRegional
Why Ndayishimiye’s party plotted a coup against Agathon Rwasa
Agathon Rwasa
Burundi’s ruling party,
CNDD-FDD, is leaving no stone unturned to expel top opposition leader, Agathon
Rwasa, from his party, CNL, so as to neutralize his political influence. The
move aims at destabilizing the opposition, hence securing more seats in the 2025
parliamentary elections.
Coming second in the 2020
presidential election against President Évariste Ndayishimiye, Rwasa was
removed from the helm of CNL in favor of someone close to CNDD-FDD; a scenario
that pro-Rwasa members in CNL referred to as a “masquerade”.
On March 10, a faction of CNL
party supported by Ndayishimiye’s party, gathered in Ngozi and elected Nestor
Girukwibishaka as new leader of CNL.
Burundi’s security personnel
restricted the supporters of Rwasa from accessing the place where CNL’s
congress was taking place.
Sources from Gitega say that
Girukwibishaka is under Ndayishimiye’s control and it is likely that CNL is
going to act in accordance to the wishes of CNDD-FDD. Rwasa was refused
permission to convene an extraordinary congress that he had planned for March
2. However, on March 10, the Minister of Interior, Martin Niteretse, granted
authorization to a small group of 10 dissidents to organize the charade and
stealing of the CNL party.
“It is a violation of article
47 of our party statute which says that only the president and legitimate legal
representative is authorized to convene such a meeting,” said the Secretary
General of the CNL, Simon Bizimungu.
“This is the only way they
have found to exclude our leader, Agathon Rwasa, from the legislative elections
scheduled for May 2025, because they are afraid of the political force that he
represents today,” he concluded.
Under Ndayishimiye’s rule,
Burundi has experienced a deterioration of socio-economic crisis.
Worse still, Ndayishimiye, in
January, took a controversial decision to close Burundi’s border with Rwanda,
accusing the latter of supporting attacks by RED-Tabara rebels on Burundi’s
territory. Rwanda denied the
allegations.
Political analysts said
Ndayishimiye shut the border so as to appease Congolese President Felix
Tshisekedi. The duo joined hands amidst current Kigali-Kinshasa tension.
In late January, Ndayishimiye
also attempted to eliminate the Secretary General of CNDD-FDD, Révérien
Ndikuriyo, for having more influence in the party as he aimed to successfully
prepare for a second term in 2027.
Ndayishimiye surprisingly
launched a three-day crusade for CNDD-FDD which was followed by the national
congress. The crusade was kept secret and most participants were not informed
about it in advance as is usually done.
Sources in Gitega revealed
that Ndayishimiye intended to use the congress to eliminate Ndikuriyo from his
position as party Secretary General.
Internal wrangles in CNDD-FDD
were escalating as Ndayishimiye focused on eliminating Ndikuriyo. The latter is
more popular and has more influence nationwide than the President. This not
only vexes but also bothers Ndayishimiye who is so unpopular among government
and military officials.
Even the population is not happy
with him for the numerous mistakes he has been making, including closing the
border with Rwanda; with business counting losses for Rwandan market, increase
in cost of imported goods as Rwanda is the easiest gateway for imported goods
from Mombasa and Dar es Salam, and lack of
essential commodities like sugar.
According to reliable sources,
the President’s relationship with Prime Minister Gen Gervais Ndirakobuca, and
Burundi’s Chief of Defense Forces Gen Prime Niyongabo, is also on the rocks.
