MAKAMBA December 21st (ABP) – The President of the Republic of Burundi Evariste Ndayishimiye on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, closed the 17th edition of the torch of peace caravan, coupled with the celebration of the International Peace Day. The ceremonies took place at the Nkurunziza Peace Park Complex Stadium in Gisenyi located in the Makamba commune and province, in the presence of the Vice-President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Ombudsman, the Secretary General of the CNDD-FDD, MPs, a few ministers, senior state executives as well as thousands of the population.
In his speech the Head of State thanked the members of the Intwararumuri association for having accomplished the work assigned to them of traveling through all the communes of Burundi for a period of a month and a half, with a key message to call the population to double their efforts and work for an emerging Burundi by 2040.
It remains to be closely monitored that the message of development carried by the torch of peace in all the communes was accepted by the population, by observing the achievements of each commune in terms of development, he added.
According to President Ndayishimiye, the passing of the torch of peace throughout the country means that peace and security are a reality in Burundi. Every Burundian must do everything to respect human rights by avoiding discrimination of any kind.
He clarified that the torch of peace is the national heritage. To materialize that heritage, a building dedicated to it will be built in the political capital and the model is already available.
For her part, the Minister of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human Rights and Gender, Mrs. Imelde Sabushimike indicated that the government of Burundi, through her ministry prepares every three months, a report on the situation of human rights to deny the false reports of critics of Burundi’s image. She noted that the human rights situation is satisfactory, given that Burundi is a member of the United Nations Permanent Council on Human Rights.
To realize that effort by Burundi with regard to respect for human rights, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations system in Burundi, Mr. Abdoul Dieng, affirmed that the United Nations will remain alongside Burundi in strengthening human rights.
Presenting the report on the state of affairs on the progress of the peace torch caravan through all the communes of the country, the representative of the Intwararumuri association, Epipode Baranyikwa, said that the population welcomed it well, and had the opportunity to submit their concerns regarding the maintenance of public infrastructure including roads, to have an expected emerging Burundi.
In her welcome, the Governor of Makamba, Mrs. Tantine Ncutinamagara, thanked the Head of State for his choice of Makamba province to close the caravan of the torch of peace, stressing that that province is at work in achieving of different development activities.
Those ceremonies were enhanced by a long parade of young people from the communes of the province, folk dances of members of the Burundi musicians’ association, the Amagaba troupe and Agasimbo dancers, entertainment groups from different communes from Makamba as well as a Tanzanian Rose Muhando who sings gospels.
After his speech full of advice on self-development, the President of the Republic extinguished the torch of peace 17th edition, which began in Muyinga on November 4, 2023.