Burundi Election Observers Will Be Quarantined For 14 Days

BUJUMBURA, Burundi

Burundi is scheduled to hold general elections on May 20, but has warned if the East African Community bloc sends elections observers, they will be placed under mandatory 14-day quarantine.

It means the election observers will not be able to follow-up the electoral process because the 14 days will elapse two days after the elections are held.

“It is mandatory for all persons, whether Burundians, Residents in Burundi or East African Community Citizens, entering the Republic of Burundi, to respect the fourteen (14) days quarantine period,” reads part of the letter written by Burundi government and signed on May 8.

However, the Burundian government proposed through the same letter that, “It is advisable that the EAC Secretariat should delegate among the stakeholders who might be already present in Burundi and to whom the 14-day quarantine doesn’t apply, to serve as the East African Community Technical Observation Mission.”

In one of the major controversies with Burundi elections, critics say the Independent National Electoral Commission has refused to publish the updated lists of eligible voters.

They argue that there is a possibility that numbers will be made up on Election Day.