This archive report was first published on 4 July 2020.
On a historic note, President Evariste Ndayishimiye has formed a lean Cabinet of 15 members, marking a significant shift in Burundi's governance.
Among the new Cabinet members is Imelde Sabushimike, a member of the Batwa ethnic community, who has been appointed as Minister for Human Rights and Solidarity.
According to Emmanuel Nengo, a Batwa and chairman of Unite for the Promotion of Batwa (Uniproba), this appointment is a significant step towards inclusivity, as the Batwa community has been marginalized for decades.
“It is great that the government realised that the Batwa community should be involved in the country’s governing,” said Emmanuel Nengo.
Mr Nengo noted that the appointment of an ethnic Twa to Cabinet gives hope for the community, who have been discriminated against and have limited access to education.
“Previously, we were marginalised and discriminated against. Many of us never went to school,” he said.
According to Uniproba, only 25 Batwas have university-level education countrywide, while 40 are still studying in different universities, 2,000 are in secondary school, and around 20,000 are in primary school.
Despite making up only 1 per cent of Burundi's estimated 11 million people, the Batwa community has been represented by only three members of parliament.
The new Cabinet members include Prime Minister Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni, who has been under US sanctions since 2015 over his alleged role in violations of human rights and repression of dissent during violence sparked by Pierre Nkurunziza's decision to seek a third term in office in 2015.
Published on July 4, 2020 by The EastAfrican.
