BUJUMBURA July 6th (ABP) – The President of the Republic of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye, through the message to the Nation delivered on the eve of the celebration of the 61st anniversary of independence, invited the leaders to serve the country well in accordance with the law, in order to properly guide development projects that lead to the well-being of the people of Burundi.
On the same occasion, the Head of State announced that leaders have the role of guiding citizens in all development projects so that the country achieves its vision of an emerging country in 2040 and a developed country in 2060.
To achieve this vision, he asked all leaders to change their mentality to promote good governance, respect for human rights, justice for all, love their country, avoid dictatorship and corruption, protect public infrastructure, avoid economic embezzlement, selfishness and any other bad behavior that hinders working closely with citizens.
All Burundian citizens, including young people, private sector actors, religious denominations, political parties and civil society, are in turn invited to also work in compliance with the law and the advice given by the leaders to them, he said.
As for the leaders, they are also called upon to show their courage in the fight for economic independence in their workplace, in their families and in their entourage, by fighting against poverty, which they consider to be the enemy of the country.
According to President Ndayishimiye, the people of Burundi ought to go about development work by increasing production, creating industries and employment to build the country and contribute to its development as prescribed in the Burundian constitution, in its section 74.
Burundians must avoid all that is related to ethnic, religious, regional division and other divisions sown by the colonizers. We must remain united and coexist peacefully as was the case before colonization, to move towards development, President Ndayishimiye underlined, explaining that a divided kingdom tends towards its disappearance.
For the country’s development partners, he reminded them that Burundi has gone through hard times characterized by cyclical crises, which has undermined its development despite the fact that it has a lot of potential. For that reason, he urged them to continue to support Burundi, explaining that start-up capital is not always easy, as Burundi begins construction for major development projects.
Burundi’s development partners are also asked to share with Burundi the experience of how their countries have managed to develop. He took the opportunity to appreciate their multifaceted interventions toward Burundi.