The former Burundi President Pierre Buyoya who used what he called the crisis in church-state relations to overthrow the Second Republic in September 1987 and proclaim a Third Republic has warned his successor on running for the Third Term. Buyoya, from Bururi, took the title of president and presided over a country that was ruled by a 30-member military junta, the Military Committee for National Salvation.

Buyoya

However, President Buyoya organized free and fair elections in 1993 and Burundi elected the first democratically Hutu president, Melchior Ndadaye., after his assassination, Two other Hutu presidents followed Ndadaye, until Buyoya seized power again in July 1996. After the death of President Ndadaye with almost his cabinet, chaos and armed rebellion against the government of President Buyoya forced him to negotiate Burundi’s peace. There was some optimism when the power-sharing agreement was signed and when the transitional government took office, which he headed until he handed over power to Mr. Ndayizeye as he had promised in the Peace Accord.

Despite all the coups that President Buyoya is accused of having supported or initiated, he has been praised for  honoring the Arusha peace accord that changed the successive governments without shedding more blood.

The former President has held a press conference today in the Burundian Capital Bujumbura to clarify on the Burundi Constitution and the Arusha Peace Accord that he himself signed and honored. He has said categorically that the basis of the Burundi Constitution is the Arusha Peace Accord and there is no way you could separate the two.

H further said that, people should not confuse the President Terms with the process of elections, according to President Buyoya , election of a President could be through the representatives of the people or the universal suffrage (all the people). For that reason he has advised his successor President Pierre Nkurunziza to respect the Constitution and the Arusha Peace Accord. As I have mentioned above, President Buyoya was head of state in a military regime that ruled Burundi from 1987 to 1993.

He is now UN envoy in Mali and is highly respected both in Burundi and international community. The words of President Buyoya of respecting the Constitution would not only give President Nkurunzia sleepless nights but will also be watched with great interest  in the neighboring Rwanda where President Kagame is also warming up to amend the Constitution so that he can stand after 2017.

Indeed, the warning of President Buyoya to his successor will not be ignored as it comes at the time when the Tanzania President Kikwete made the same warning that if President Nkurunzia does not respect the Burundi Constitution is likely to drag back his country in another conflict. The Burundi Catholic Church unanimously warned Prsident Nkurunziza that it will be a grave mistake to stand again. It remains to be seen whether President Nkurunziza’s desire and greed for power will override all these warnings, wisdom  and advice, with only Two Months remaining for the Burundi people to go to the polls , it remains to be seen, only time will tell.

Jacqueline Umurungi.