President NKurunziza of Burundi and some leading opposition politicians to hold talks and form a national unity government after this week’s election, saying it could help avert a new conflict in the poor African nation.

Agathon Rwasa, a former rebel leader like Nkurunziza in Burundi’s civil war, has said that  action was needed to prevent generals behind a failed coup in May taking up arms in the crisis sparked by Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term in office.

Political analysts have argued that this is the new phenomenon of election rigging or stealing by African leaders who want to overstay in power. In Kenya after the violent elections in 2007 the leaders were called to form a government of national unity. After talks brokered by the former Secretary General Koffi Anan, Raila Odinga who was widely believed to have won elections accepted to be a Prime Minister while the incumbent Mwayi Kibaki retained his presidency.

In Zimbwabwe’s violent elections in 2008 in which Mr.  Morgan Tsvangirai is believed to have won, the veteran President Mugabe and his ZANU-PF refused to hand over  power to Mr. Tsvangirai, instead they staged violence to intimidate his supporters , he eventually succumbed to what they called the government of national unity. Indeed, Mr Tsvangirai was named the Prime Minister and Mugabe retained Presidency to this very day.

According to some political analysts, if this new model of democracy of cheating or stealing can work, why should they waste the taxpayer’s money in organizing what they call elections? Should African democracy be accepted as such or as a failure?

As these sham elections are organized and accepted as a new therapy for African model of democracy in Burundi in Particular and Some African nations in General, the neighboring  Rwanda with the same ethnic divide and political history is watching with keen interest.

If it worked for Mugabe or Mwai Kibaki respectively, will it work for Nkurunziza?

 

 

Some Burundi Generals, who had taken Nkurunziza by surprise in the aborted Coup, have already been waving the threat of armed struggle. However, Mr Agathon Rwasa one of the prominent opposition figures has said “For the sake of Burundi, the idea of a government of national unity can be accepted,”  adding his demands also included new elections, possibly in a year.

Whether, President Nkurunziza will listen to this new olive branch it remains to be seen, what is certain though, the damage is already done, the international community, including the biggest   financiers have warned Burundi could be tapped off from financial and political recognition.

 

Jacqueline Umurungi