The Burundian election commission has excluded opposition candidates from participating in the upcoming June elections, the opposition announced on Wednesday. The decision primarily affects candidates from the four-party Burundi for All coalition, recognized by the interior ministry in December.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) ruled that candidates from the opposition National Freedom Council (CNL), a member of the coalition, would be barred due to their party’s suspension, in violation of electoral laws. Key figures, including Agathon Rwasa, the former presidential runner-up, have been specifically targeted by the move.
Rwasa, who had challenged President Evariste Ndayishimiye in the 2020 elections, is currently in legal battles over his exclusion. Political analysts claim the government is intent on preventing his participation. The move follows a controversial decree that imposes stringent conditions on independent candidates, which critics argue was designed to block Rwasa’s candidacy.
Burundi’s human rights situation remains a concern, with continued repression of opposition figures despite the country’s gradual shift from isolationism under Ndayishimiye’s administration.
