High-stakes election threatens Burundi’s stability - The Mail & Guardian

  • 📰 mailandguardian
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 68 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 31%
  • Publisher: 92%

South Africa Headlines News

South Africa Latest News,South Africa Headlines

Bitter rivals are contesting the presidential election and changes to the Constitution will make it unlikely that the losing party will concede defeat, raising prospects of violent protests.

at least 125 extrajudicial killings — of mostly Rwasa supporters — between just May and August of 2011.: CNL offices were demolished throughout the country and its members persecuted, thus it is no surprise that releasing all political prisoners ranks top on Rwasa’s agenda.

In the aftermath of the violent political crisis triggered by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s controversial third term in 2015, the outcome of the 2020 election risks derailing Burundi further if not carefully managed by national and international stakeholders. The 2018 Constitution, which heightened the zero-sum game of Burundian politics, will complicate these stakeholders’ tasks because the losing party will have little incentive to accept the verdict.

The 2005 Constitution instituted power-sharing mechanisms that would underpin the country’s democracy. For example, it stated that any party that secured at least 5% of the vote in an election would be guaranteed a proportional number of seats in government. In the case of a Cabinet reshuffle, the executive would only be able to replace those ministers with members of that same party. In effect, a de facto unity government was enshrined in the Constitution.

Second, the 2018 Constitution states that a presidential term will now last seven years instead of five and the president will have the power to dissolve the National Assembly. The legislature can no longer remove a sitting president, contrary to provisions in the 2005 Constitution. The president will be empowered to veto any legislation that comes from the National Assembly without having to explain his actions.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 2. in ZA

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

READ IT: Khosa high court judgment - The Mail & GuardianAllegations of abuse and excessive use of force by the security forces have been a feature during the Covid-19 pandemic
Source: mailandguardian - 🏆 2. / 92 Read more »

Huawei Y7p introduces super high-resolution photography to the entry-level smartphoneSPONSORED | HuaweiZA The Huawei Y7p does not come with Google Mobile Services but users can download and enjoy the applications from the pre-installed Huawei AppGallery. Read more.
Source: SowetanLIVE - 🏆 13. / 63 Read more »

120 out of 325 virus hospital admissions in WC are in ICU or high careThe province has also recorded 77,310 tests and 129 deaths after it recorded an additional 12 Covid-19-related deaths. There is no need for Western Cape to receive the national attention. They have shown that the care less about their live and care more about smoking and jogging. Just leave them out Thats a huge number in high care, its bad. Western Cape is about to go through first wave storm. I hope they are given all necessary resources Would be interesting to know the areas, sex abd age and the kind of hospital
Source: TheCitizen_News - 🏆 6. / 75 Read more »

Impoverished Burundi, battered by violence and Covid-19, gears up for electionsBut Burundi said most election observers would have to undergo a 14-day quarantine. Journalists face the constant threat of arrest or attack; many have fled.
Source: SowetanLIVE - 🏆 13. / 63 Read more »

READ IT: Khosa high court judgment - The Mail & GuardianAllegations of abuse and excessive use of force by the security forces have been a feature during the Covid-19 pandemic
Source: mailandguardian - 🏆 2. / 92 Read more »

Pandemic delays local elections - The Mail & GuardianThe lockdown has interrupted public consultations on ward demarcations, while 37 by-elections around the country are on hold. Petty little things when people are dying and facing far more devastating issues than political footprints
Source: mailandguardian - 🏆 2. / 92 Read more »