The Burundian National Independent Electoral
Commission (CENI) has rejected four candidates out of the ten who had filed for
the 20 May 2020 presidential election, its chairman said on Tuesday.
Former Burundi President, Domitien Ndayizeye, for the Kira Burundi coalition |
Addressing
a press briefing in the Burundian commercial center Bujumbura, Pierre Claver
Kazihise explained that the four candidates were rejected because they
"did not meet requirements" set by the national constitution or the
electoral code, and failed to give further information.
The
four rejected applicants include Jacques Bigirimana for the National Liberation
Forces, former President Domitien Ndayizeye for the Kira Burundi coalition,
Valentin Kavakure for the FPN-Imboneza party and Anicet Niyonkuru for the
Council of the Patriots party.
Kazihise
said that the four candidates can appeal against the decision to the
Constitutional Court within two days.
Domitien
Ndayizeye representing Kira Burundi coalition was surprised to hear about the
decision. He says his candidacy wasn’t accepted due to the lack of enough
sponsors. He says he is going to reanalyze his candidacy file to ensure that it
wasn’t changed. “As a former President, I cannot miss 200 supporters,” he says.
The same
view is shared by Valentin Kavakure, presidential candidate for FPN-Imboneza
party.
He says
his party will appeal to the Constitutional Court. “We are surprised to hear
about the decision. We were informed that our candidacy file is complete when
we submitted the required documents. This is a political decision because our
party is strong although it is new,” he says adding that FPN-Imboneza is
committed to taking part in the legislative and communal elections.
The
candidacy file of FPN-Imboneza party was rejected due to the submission of a
declaration of nationality non-conformity, lack of enough sponsors that are
less than 200 people, incomplete sponsors’ files and suspicious signatures on
some documents.
Anicet
Niyonkuru for CDP party also announces that his party will appeal to the
Constitutional Court, this 10 March.
Six
candidates accepted by CENI to run for the presidential race scheduled on May
20 are Evariste Ndayishimiye for ruling CNDD-FDD party, Agathon Rwasa for CNL
party, Gaston Sindimwo for Uprona Party, LĂ©once Ngendakumana for Sahwanya
Frodebu party and two independent candidates including Francis Rohero and
Dieudonné Nahimana.
On May
20, Burundi will hold general elections that combine three polls—the
presidential election, legislative elections and district council elections. -
Africa
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