This archive report was first published on 19 May 2020.
May 20, 2020, marks a crucial day for Burundians as they head to the polls to elect their next president. In the lead-up to the election, the government has issued a stern warning against any attempts to disrupt the process.
Public Security Minister Alain Guillaume Bunyoni issued a statement on May 18, urging citizens to respect the law and maintain peace during the election. The statement read: “We want to warn whoever will try to destabilise the elections that the police and its security partners are instructed not to tolerate any disruption.”
The warning comes after a violent campaign period, which saw clashes between the ruling party's youth wing, Imbonerakure, and National Congress for Liberty (CNL) militants. The violence resulted in the deaths of four people, according to the government.
Opposition leader Agathon Rwasa has called on his supporters to closely monitor the elections, warning that the ruling party may attempt to steal votes. “We know they want to steal votes but everyone should monitor closely the counting because it is their right,” Rwasa said in his final rally in Gitega.
The CNL party has alleged that its members and supporters have been subjected to continued attacks, with over 300 party members arrested since the beginning of the campaigns. Confrontations between opposition members and the ruling party's youth wing have been reported in various provinces across the country.
As Burundians prepare to cast their votes, the government has also issued a warning against gathering at polling stations, urging supporters of opposition parties to cast their votes peacefully and return home immediately after.
