Dr Peter Sakwe Masumbe, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and International Relations, University of Buea, revisits the ongoing conflict and stalemate in Burundi.
How do you analyse the current political and security situation in Burundi?
The situation is very poor to say the least. But you should know that, it has become a rule rather than an exception that, in African politics, political power must always be personalised and this is epitomised by the deceptive notion that, it is the stomach/belly that rules the head; rather than the head ruling the stomach/belly.
It is essential to briefly state that, in April 2015, what is now known as the “2015 Burundian Unrest” broke out after the ruling party led by President Pierre Nkurunziza announced that, he President Pierre Nkurunziza a former rebel leader of the Hutu National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) who was actually democratically elected unopposed as President by the country’s Parliament on 19th August 2005, would seek a third term in office.
Protests in the capital lasted for weeks, because, Burundians especially those in opposition did not fine it palatable for President Pierre Nkurunziza to ask for a third term as President, when the country’s constitution bluntly rejected a third term for the Presidency.
Certainly, Nkurunziza was the first president chosen through democratic means since the start of the civil war in 1993 and was sworn in on 26th August, replacing transitional president Domitien Ndayizeye, but Nkurunziza has failed to respect the very democracy that propelled him to power. And since power intoxicates, absolute power intoxicates absolutely, and I believe that, what is sadly happening with Pierre Nkurunziza is the lust for political power than his desire to bring positively changes to the impoverished citizenry in Burundi.
Impasse persists as government does not want direct negotiations with the opposition and has also rejected the African Union proposals to deploy peacekeepers. What can therefore be the way out?
Listen, much can be said about the crisis in Burundi, as some political analysts might call what is happening in Burundi as a crisis in politics rather than a political crisis. For me, it is simply a political crisis largely impelled by egeocentricism. Certainly, the history of Burundian politics is fraught with untold crisis, but these crises have been man-made and could be resolved by man acting in pure senses of goodwill, though politics at times is bankrupt of goodwill.
Just as close as 2005, in the name of democracy, all the countless leadership abuses – corruption, assassinations, and many other human rights abuses by the current government led by President Nkurunziza – are safely covered by the political forms, procedures, technicalities and symbols agreed upon in Arusha, while the ill-governed population has become a prisoner of an irresponsible system with so many inherited abusive fundamentals in Burundian politics.
Naively enough, the Burundian transition favoured the current form of political system, symbols, technicalities, and quotas over the transformation of Burundians politics into progressive and development oriented, which has been the crux of the numerous social, economic and political issues. A transformation based on sound politics that promotes a proper balance between active citizenship and state building is a pre-requisite for peace and prosperity in Burundi.
Peace negotiations resumed in Uganda last Monday. How far will this phase of negotiations contribute in ending the violence in the country?
Peace without deep rooted concertations and resolve of internal political, social and economic issues by forces emanating from autochthonous aspirations looks highly cosmetic. Pierre Nkuruziza now holds the knife and yam to resolve the impending upheaval in Burundian politics. He understands the historical context of his present desire to hang unto political power than allowed by the country’s constitution, which of-course, he is an architect.
And think of it, for Pierre Nkurunziza to boldly tell the African Union not send its peacekeeping forces to Burundi or such forces would be severely attacked by Burundian armed forces (of-course those loyal to Nkuruziza) is a blatant show of arrogance by a sitting African leader, whose lust for political power is beyond any sound sense of reason and respect for others. The peace talks in Uganda might achieve little, unless Nkuruziza decides to let go his grip on political power at least for now.
