GITEGA, June 14th (ABP) – The President of the Republic of Burundi, Mr Evariste Ndayishimiye, met on Tuesday 11 June, at the National Fitting and Rehabilitation Centre (CNAR) in Gitega (central Burundi), the leaders of the Islamic Community in Burundi (COMIBU) in all the country’s provinces in order to discuss their assessments of the government’s actions and to gather their contributions focused on the national vision, a check on the site by ABP has disclosed.
In his opening speech, President Ndayishimiye reminded participants of the great tragic moments that Burundi went through after its independence. He praised COMIBU’s contribution to the development of various sectors of the country’s life.
“We are behind you and we are pleased with the activities you are carrying out for the country”, declared President Ndayishimiye, pointing out that he was delighted that the leaders of Burundi’s recognised religions were praying for the country and that they were carrying out a number of development projects as part of the implementation of the vision of a Burundi that would emerge in Burundi emerging in 2040 and developed in 2060.
The Head of State also said that he was satisfied with the harvest recorded this year throughout the country, which shows that every mouth has something to eat and every pocket can earn money by selling the surplus.
Taking the floor, the head of COMIBU, Mufti Shabani Ali, pointed out that since the CNDD-FDD party came to power, the government of Burundi has treated religious denominations in the same way. He pointed out that the followers of Islam in Burundi are ready to contribute to the development of their country, but that they must at least be trusted because, he said, they have often been side-lined in the administration. He therefore asked the President of the Republic to appoint Muslim ambassadors to Arab countries in order to promote relations with other Muslims around the world. Others suggested that the supreme authority should set up an irrigation system to stabilise agriculture, make sorghum and cotton growing more profitable, promote tourist sites to attract tourists, and introduce modern sheep farming.
President Ndayishimiye pointed out that ISABU has already imported breeds of sheep to promote the breeding of this livestock, which is very useful for Muslims in order to overcome the challenge posed by the lack of this type of livestock during their festivals.