GITEGA, April 15th (ABP) – The Head of State of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye, officially launched the civic and electoral education campaign on Friday 12 April 2024 in Gitega, the political capital of Burundi (in the center of the country).
In his speech, President Ndayishimiye stated that the forthcoming elections would be organized using the State’s own resources and contributions from willing citizens.
The budget allocated to the said elections will not be colossal,” he qualified, arguing that the previous Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) had left balances and had managed the equipment made available to it in a prudent manner.
For all those reasons, the President of the Republic warmly thanked it and asked the new team to do the same.
Contributions from abroad are also welcome, he added, adding however that their donors will do so while respecting national sovereignty.
He also congratulated the new CENI team on the work it has already accomplished in such a short time since it was set up. He gave them some advice, in particular to ensure that the forthcoming elections are crowned with success.
They expect those elections to be democratic, free, peaceful, inclusive and transparent,” he said. He reassured that the resulting leaders will lead Burundi on the road to emergence in 2040 and development in 2060.
The Chairman of the CENI, Prosper Ntahorwamiye, promised that he would spare no effort to ensure that the electoral process was a success, at the same time calling for the involvement of all socio-professional strata, each in its own field.
The ceremonies were attended by the country’s leading figures, including the Vice-President of the Republic, members of parliament, members of the government, former heads of state, representatives of the diplomatic and consular corps accredited to Burundi, representatives of political parties and civil society organizations. There were also high-ranking members of the army and police, representatives of the judiciary, the Burundian ombudsman and a large population from the urban center of Gitega and the 263 villages that make up the province of Gitega.