Online Africa Policy Forum

By Brian Kennedy

The outcome of the elections in Burundi seems to have taken long term observers of the country by surprise. The first national elections in which the President was to be chosen by universal suffrage were expected to be an important step for Burundi’s democratic consolidation: an opportunity for the country’s political leadership to demonstrate its maturity by rising to the challenge of a vibrant opposition and waging a peaceful election campaign. Instead, the opposition melted away in the weeks before the election, in protest and under apparent threat from the nervous ruling party, CNDD-FDD. A last minute unanimous boycott by all opposition parties to the presidential elections left the leader of the CNDD-FDD and incumbent President, Pierre Nkurunziza, the only candidate standing. He received a 91.6% favorable vote in what became a default referendum on his leadership.  The result has prompted a skeptical reaction from international observers.