Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza has rejected an appeal from the European Union and the United States to delay the June 26 presidential election. Nkurunziza reportedly told the BBC that postponing the vote would worsen the situation. Willy Nyamitwe, senior advisor to President Nkurunziza on media and communication, said delaying the election is a technical matter that must be managed by the electoral commission. In addition, he said the election is a constitutional mandate and Burundi must be careful not to create an institutional vacuum.
“What you have to know is that this is a technical issue that must be managed by the electoral commission, not by the government. And sometimes we have to be careful because there may be an institutional vacuum and that is very dangerous for the country,” he said. “The major problem is when it comes to an institutional vacuum it’s very dangerous; it’s unconstitutional. So that’s why we have to stick on the constitution.”
The European Union said Monday that delaying the electoral timetable would help “calm the situation” in the country where there have been deadly protests since Nkurunziza announced his intention to seek a third term.
Full Article: Burundi President Rejects Election Delay.
