“We refuse to be confused with any competing political party”: Bishops in Burundi

“The Episcopal Conference has never appealed to the Constitutional Court,” the Bishops have underscored in their June 5 statement, adding in reference to their collective forum, “All it has done has been to report to the public on its observation work for which it had received accreditation.”

In their statement signed by CECAB Chairman, Bishop Joachim Ntahondereye, the Bishops bemoan, “We deplore the fact that the Episcopal Conference was wrongly considered as a complainant, which sows confusion in the minds of the population.”

On June 4, Burundi's Constitutional Court upheld the results of May 20 presidential election and rejected the complaints filed by opposition leader arguing that Mr. Rwasa's National Freedom Council (CNL) failed to provide sufficient proof of its claims.

The Bishops say they were “surprised” to be cited during the Constitutional Court ruling.

“We, members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Burundi, after having heard on 04 June 2020 the proclamation of the final and official results of the election of the President of the Republic, made by the President of the Constitutional Court were very surprised to hear the Constitutional Court cite the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Burundi as if it were a plaintiff with regard to this election,” they lament. 

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The Bishops add, “The President of the Constitutional Court himself insistently and urgently requested the illustrative elements of the irregularities, which the Episcopal Conference had condemned in its press release of 26 May 2020.”

They further disclose that as a forum of Catholic Bishops, they had, in a “confidential note” reached out to the President of Constitutional Court considering that their “complete election observation report is intended in principle for the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI)” as provided by the "Code of Conduct for Domestic and Foreign Observers for the 2020 Electoral Process.”

Following the June 4 Constitutional Court ruling upholding the election of Evariste Ndayishimiye, the Catholic Bishops have moved on to congratulate him as the President-elect and assured him of their prayers for "the realization and success of his noble mission."

They have also invited all Burundians to “love the truth, justice and to be artisans of peace and unity in our beloved homeland.”

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.