Burundi: UN envoy says election disturbances are few, though serious

For the first time in a decade, Burundians today voted in municipal elections whose largely peaceful atmosphere was broken by early incidents of fraud and violence that the top United Nations envoy in the country said would lead to a re-scheduling of the vote in five constituencies.

“We have determined that these incidents are limited to five of 129 communes, so we have to look at this positively, while not denying the seriousness of the incidents,” said Carolyn McAskie, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Burundi.

With 124 communes having voted peacefully, the force from the Office of the UN in Burundi (ONUB) and the Government defense forces would team up to provide security for the five communes near the capital, Bujumbura, she said, “so we will be able to reassure the people in those communes that they can come out and vote.”

The troubled communes were identified as Mpanda, Kabezi, Kanyosha, Muhuta and Mutimbuzi. A South African soldier, shot in the head during an attack on a polling station in Kabezi, was evacuated to Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, for emergency treatment.

“A lot of accusations have been going as to who is actually doing what to whom. It is too early to say at this moment who exactly is responsible for the shootings, but we are keeping an eye on the situation very closely,” Ms. McAskie said.

Those who were trying to disrupt the vote should not win, she said. “The people of Burundi must win. And we will do everything we can along with the Burundian authorities to make sure that the people of Burundi win.”

On the question of fraud, she said, “My message to those who are doing it is that we know who you are. You cannot hide and you should stop immediately, because you will only do yourselves harm and you will ruin the reputation of your party. And don’t think that you can get away with it.”

Ms. McAskie declined to name any individuals or political parties behind the violence and fraud.

The municipal elections are the first in a series, with the parliamentary poll on 4 July, senatorial elections on 19 July, presidential on 19 August and district level on 23 September.