In Burundi, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) rejected the candidacy of Agathon Rwasa, a prominent opposition figure, along with around ten members of “A Burundi for All”, a coalition, for the upcoming legislative elections in June 2025.
The announcement, made on Tuesday, December 31, marks a significant setback for Rwasa, who came second in the 2020 presidential elections and was ousted from the National Congress for Liberty (CNL) in March 2024.
Rwasa had planned to run under the “A Burundi for All” coalition, which comprises four opposition parties. However, the CENI disqualified his candidacy, citing inconsistencies with the electoral code and laws prohibiting candidates from representing more than one party. Rwasa and his close associates, Euphrasie Mutenzinka and Anatole Karorero, currently sit in the National Assembly under the suspended CNL banner but were attempting to contest the elections under the coalition’s label. The CENI argued that their actions violated legal restrictions, although Rwasa maintains that he no longer belongs to the CNL and disputes the grounds for his rejection.
Compounding the challenges for opposition candidates, President Évariste Ndayishimiye issued a decree in December tightening eligibility requirements. The decree mandates that individuals who leave a party must wait at least a year before running for office, with the period extended to two years for party leaders. Analysts suggest the measure was specifically designed to block Rwasa’s candidacy.
While Rwasa had 48 hours to appeal the CENI decision to the Constitutional Court, he dismissed the process as futile, condemning what he described as a corrupt electoral system favoring the ruling party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD). He also criticized the exclusion of independent candidates, underscoring the significant challenges faced by opposition figures in Burundi’s political landscape.