Burundi’s Ambassador to South Africa Isaie Ntirizoshira has assured the international community that the 17 May referendum in his country will proceed smoothly.
Isaie Ntirizoshira was speaking on the sidelines of the Pan African Parliament in Midrand, Johannesburg, which has kicked off on Monday for the next two weeks.
Burundi’s referendum is aimed at determining if the current President Pierre Nkurunziza can run for an additional two seven year terms.
Should a Yes vote be the outcome Nkurunziza who has been in power since 2005 could potentially rule until 2034 if he is re-elected in the next scheduled election in two years.
His run for a controversial third term in 2015 triggered a political crisis that has since seen 1 200 people killed and 400 000 flee their homes.
“We can now reassure the international community that now really Burundi is in peace and stability there is even now as we are talking a campaign for the referendum. Now we have two sides, the ruling party and some political parties campaigning for yes and some other political parties campaigning, for now all these two sides are now campaigning freely and the process is really being conducted smoothly. You can ask everybody the people who are really observing what is happening in Burundi,” Ntirizoshira explained.
Ntirizoshira has defended his government’s decision to suspend the operations of the British Broadcasting Corporation and Voice of America ahead of the country’s referendum scheduled for the 17 May.
He said the move was in line with Burundi’s laws. The two media organisations have been accused of breaching press laws and unprofessional conduct and concern has been raised amongst the opposition that the move does not bode well for a free and credible referendum.
“These media must follow some deontology of their work, they are in connection, they are working with the national council of communication and they have some agreement. They have some rules to follow and if they break the rules the national council can take measures, those are measures that are provided in the law so that if the media breaks the law these are the measures that can be taken.”
The French broadcaster Radio France International and local station Isanganiro have also been warned that they must employ more rigorous verification of sources.
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