BUJUMBURA, GITEGA, KAYANZA, BUBANZA October 23rd (ABP) – Burundi commemorated, Saturday October 21, 2023, in Bujumbura and in the provinces of the country, the 30th anniversary of the assassination of the hero of democracy, the late President Melchior Ndadaye.
In Bujumbura Town Hall, the ceremonies marking that day were enhanced by the presence of the President of the Republic of Burundi Evariste Ndayishimiye together with by his wife, Mrs. Angéline Ndayishimiye, the Vice-President, Prosper Bazombanza, the President of the Senate, Emmanuel Sinzohagera President of the National Assembly, Daniel Gélase Ndabirabe, as well as the Prime Minister, Gervais Ndirakobuca.
The ceremonies began with a mass which was celebrated at the Régine Mundi Cathedral by Mgr. Anatole Rugerinyange. In his teaching, he used the biblical passage taken from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 12:8-12. He wished for the strengthening of unity and love of neighbor.
He urged Burundians to trust in Jesus Christ who gives the strength to forgive and overcome evil.
After the mass, the ceremonies continued at the monument of the martyrs of democracy where wreaths of flowers were laid respectively by the presidential couple, representatives of the diplomatic corps, the family of the hero of democracy and the approved political parties.
Before the closing of the ceremonies, participants listened to the speech that President Melchior Ndandaye gave after the presidential elections of June 1993 in which President Ndandaye affirmed that it was not a victory of a political party or an individual but a victory of democracy for all of Burundi.
In Gitega province (center of the country), the ceremonies began with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Mgr. Jean Marie Harushimana, at the Saint Sacrement parish of Rukundo. In his homily, Mgr. Harushimana asked those present to be wary of anything that could harm others. In place of the above, Bishop Harushimana advised cultivating love and reconciliation to establish relationships with the Creator.
After the mass, the ceremonies continued at the monument dedicated to the father of democracy where the rest of the ceremonies took place. First, there was the laying of wreaths successively by the provincial governor, Mr. Venant Manirambona, the communal administrator of Gitega, the family of the late Ndadaye, the representative of the Burundian ombudsman, the representatives of political parties including CNDD-FDD, UPRONA, Sahwanya FRODEBU, APDR, CNL, CODEBU Iragi rya Ndadaye, ADR and FNL.
Then, the audience listened to the speech that Feu Ndadaye gave on the occasion of the victory of his political party, Sahwanya FRODEBU, in the victory of the presidential elections of June 1993. Among the key elements underlying that speech, we would point out, among other things, the firm desire to establish true peace throughout the country, the call for respect for human rights, the concern for the equitable sharing of the national cake, freedom for all, and the promotion of development in all sectors of national life. The circumstantial ceremonies saw the presence of parliamentarians elected in the Gitega constituency, executives of state services, state civil servants, all communal administrators, traders and an urban and peri-urban population.
In Kayanza province (North), those ceremonies began with a mass in memory of the late President Ndadaye Melchior which was celebrated at Christ Roi parish. The ceremonies continued with the laying of wreaths at the monument of the hero of democracy erected a hundred meters from the provincial office, starting with the provincial administration, the communal administration of Kayanza, the judiciary, the defense and security forces as well as six wreaths of flowers laid by political parties working in Kayanza province.
After listening to the speech of the late President Melchior Ndadaye delivered during the victory of the presidential elections of June 1993, the governor of Kayanza, Mr. Rémy Cishahayo, took the opportunity to invite the inhabitants of Kayanza to consider the painful past that saw the country as an eloquent sign of reconciliation with a view to achieving development. “Let us show solidarity by getting down to work for the development of our country,” he added. The same provincial authority in Kayanza urged its leaders not to be confused by the rumors circulating on social networks.
In Bubanza province (North-West of Burundi), the population of all five communes gathered at the provincial capital for the festivities of that commemoration. Seven political parties, namely Sahwanya FRODEBU, CNDD-FDD, UPRONA, CNL, APDR, ADR and RANAC, laid wreaths of flowers at the monument of the hero of Democracy, President Melchior Ndadaye.
In his speech, the governor of Bubanza province, Cléophas Nizigiyimana, welcomed the step already taken in democracy while deploring that there were visible imperfections in the area of justice.
He called on his leaders to remain good heirs of President Ndadaye in safeguarding democracy through development projects, and by appropriating the objective of the President of the Republic, of the Emerging country in 2040 and Developed country in 2060 The other call is to refer to the good things of the past and to always seek to be good references to others. Note that the festivities began with a mass at Christ the King Cathedral in Bubanza, and all the flags were at half-mast.