Burundi: Transitional Government (2001 - 2005)

Updated April 2005

In Nov 2001 the power sharing arrangements of the Arusha accord were implemented and a transitional government was inaugurated with Buyoya as President and Domitien Ndayizeye of Frodebu as Vice-President for the first 18 months (UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2005).

To facilitate the safe return of opposition from exile a South African protection force was put into place, though this function was later transferred to the auspices of the AU Mission (Institute for Security Studies 2005).

The civil war continued to rage and intensified fighting threatened to destroy the fragile transitional arrangements in place. The government survived the first eighteen months, and in 2002 April, in accordance with the provisions of Arusha, the presidency rotated to Ndayizeye, and Alfonse Kadege of Uprona became Vice-President. When it became apparent that elections would not take place in 2004 as planned the life of the transitional government was extended to April 2005, and later still to August 2005 (UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2005).

In a major break through President Ndayizeye and Pierre Nkurunziza, the leader of the largest rebel group, the CNDD-FDD, signed an agreement to end the war towards the end of 2003. The FDD was brought into the government and its troops were integrated into the national army. This left only one rebel group, the FNL-Palipehutu, outside the peace process (Institute for Security Studies 2005).

In September 2004 the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was created. At this point it was evident that the logistics of the constitutional referendum set for October would not be managed by the INEC in the short time available to it. In any case there was not yet agreement amongst the parties on all the details of the constitution to be put to the voters (Institute for Security Studies 2005).

In November 2004 Kadege was sacked as Vice-President and replaced by Frederic Ngenzebuhoro also of Uprona, and Uprona ended a boycott of the new draft constitution. Shortly thereafter the process of disarmament and demobilization of soldiers and rebels was begun (UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2005).

In January 2005 the legislation to create a new national army incorporating all the rebel and government forces was put in place. FNL-Palipehutu still remained outside the process and continued with military operations (Institute for Security Studies 2005).

In March the referendum on the constitution was held and it was endorsed by 90% of the voters in an 80% poll turnout. Although national elections had been postponed to April 2005 it was clear that the country would not be ready for them and a postponement to June is being sought, UN disapproval not withstanding (Institute for Security Studies 2005).

In the meanwhile the government continues to attempt to draw FNL-Palipehutu into the peace process, even as it attempts to crush its forces on the battlefield. In February the FNL-Palipehutu agreed to negotiations with the government, but at the time of writing these had not yet materialised (Relief Web 2005).

References

INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY STUDIES 2005 "Burundi: Political System and history", [www] http://www.iss.co.za/AF/profiles/Burundi/Politics.html [opens new window] (accessed 22 Oct 2007).

UK FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 2005 "Country profiles: Burundi", [www] http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029394365&a=KCountryProfile&aid=1020337957293 [opens new window] (accessed 22 Oct 2007).

RELIEF WEB 2005 "Burundi's electoral board releases details of election timetable", [www] http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/SODA-6BS4ME?OpenDocument [opens new window] (accessed 22 Oct 2007).