Burundi: Burundi Government Profile

President: Pierre Nkurunziza

Pierre Nkurunziza, a former Hutu rebel leader, became the initial president to be chosen in democratic elections since the start of Burundi's civil war in 1994.

He was selected as president by parliamentarians in August 2005 next his Force for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) won parliamentary elections a few weeks before.

He was re-elected in the June 2010 presidential polls, which however, were boycotted by the opposition which complained of fraud in the before district elections.

The European Union praised Burundi for holding a peaceful presidential election but criticised the government for limits on political expression. Since 2010 opposition leaders and international observers have complained of increasing attacks and pressure on opposition parties and the media.

Armed groups have made a worrying reappearance, exploiting the chaos in neighbouring DRCongo.

The 2005 vote was one of the final steps in a peace process intended to end years of fighting between Hutu rebels and the Tutsi-controlled army.

A peace agreement between the government and the remaining Hutu rebels was signed in 2006, but broke down next the government rejected rebel demands for power-sharing. A ceasefire with the last major active rebel group, the National Liberation Forces (FNL), was signed in May 2008.

Born in 1964 in Ngozi province, Pierre Nkurunziza trained as a sports teacher. His father, a former MP, was killed in ethnic violence in 1972.

He joined the Hutu rebellion in 1995 and rose through the ranks to become chief of the FDD in 2001. He sustained a critical mortar injury during the conflict.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

In November 1995, the presidents of Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) announced a regional initiative for a negotiated peace in Burundi facilitated by former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere. In July 1996, former Burundian President Buyoya returned to power in a bloodless coup. He declared himself president of a transitional republic, even as he suspended the National Assembly, banned opposition groups, and imposed a nationwide curfew. Widespread condemnation of the coup ensued, and regional countries imposed economic sanctions pending a return to a constitutional government. Buyoya agreed in 1996 to liberalize political parties. Nonetheless, fighting between the army and Hutu militias continued.

In June 1998, Buyoya promulgated a transitional constitution and announced a partnership between the government and the opposition-led National Assembly. After Facilitator Julius Nyerere's death in October 1999, the regional leaders appointed Nelson Mandela as Facilitator of the Arusha peace process. Under Mandela the faltering peace process was revived, leading to the signing of the Arusha Accords in August 2000 by representatives of the principal Hutu (G-7) and Tutsi (G-10) political parties, the government, and the National Assembly. However, the FDD and FNL armed factions of the CNDD and Palipehutu G-7 parties refused to accept the Arusha Accords, and the armed rebellion continued.

In November 2001, a 3-year transitional government was established under the leadership of Pierre Buyoya (representing the G-10) as transitional president and Domitien Ndayizeye (representing the G-7) as transitional vice president for an initial period of 18 months. In May 2003, Mr. Ndayizeye assumed the presidency for 18 months with Alphonse Marie Kadege as vice president. In October and November 2003 the Burundian Government and the former rebel group the CNDD-FDD signed cease-fire and power-sharing agreements, and in March 2004 members of the CNDD-FDD took offices in the government and parliament. The World Bank and other bilateral donors have provided financing for Burundi’s disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration program for former rebel combatants.

National and regional mediation efforts failed to reach a compromise on post-transition power-sharing arrangements between the predominantly Hutu and Tutsi political parties, and in September 2004 over two-thirds of the parliament--despite a boycott by the Tutsi parties--approved a post-transition constitution. The Arusha Peace Agreement called for local and national elections to be held before the conclusion of the transitional period on October 31, 2004. On October 20, 2004, however, a joint session of the National Assembly and Senate adopted a previously approved draft constitution as an interim constitution that provides for an extension of transitional institutions until elections are held. On February 28, 2005, Burundians overwhelmingly approved a post-transitional constitution in a popular referendum, setting the stage for local and national elections. In April 2005, Burundi's transitional government was again extended and an electoral calendar was established at a regional summit held in Uganda.

Judicial system

The legal system of Burundi is based on German and French civil codes and customary law. In 1987 there were 64 tribunals of initial instance. The Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court are located in Bujumbura. The 1992 Constitution established a number of new courts, inclunding a constitutional court to review all new laws for conformity to the constitution. It as well created a High Court responsible for resolving charges of high level crimes by high level government officials.

A military court had jurisdiction over crimes by members of the military. The military coup in 1996 abrogated the 1992 Constitution and restored it by a transitional decree. The decree of 13 September 1996 provided for an independent judiciary, which in was dominated by the Tutsi ethnic group. The decree as well provided for the right to privacy. Authorities generally respect the law requiring search warrants