OCHA Eastern Africa/Flash Update 10 - Elections Crisis in Burundi and Regional Impact, 1 June 2015

General update

Following a recommendation yesterday by a Summit of the East African Community to postpone elections for a period of “not less than one and a half months”, the Government of Burundi has indicated it was favorable to this request. New dates have not yet been announced. Previously, communal and legislative elections were foreseen for this Friday, following a postponement of 10 days, while presidential elections were maintained for 26 June and those for the collines (hills) and district councils were scheduled for 24 August. The Summit called on “all parties to stop violence and exercise restraint”, and for the “urgent disarmament of all armed youth groups allied to political parties”, and “encouraged the Government of Burundi to create conducive conditions for the return of refugees to Burundi”. It did not, however, pronounce itself with regarding to the third-term bid by President Pierre Nkurunziza, the source of protests in recent weeks, which have currently been temporarily suspended by civil society leaders.