Burundi’s ruling party sweeps parliament poll

Burundi ruling party won an overwhelming victory in the country’s parliamentary elections as opposition parties boycotted the vote. The CNDD-FDD has also scored a high percentage of the Senate vote today, exit polls show, giving President Pierre Nkurunziza’s party an overwhelming majority in both chambers.

AFP

Burundi’s ruling Conseil National pour la Defence de la Democratie- Forces de Defence de la Democratie party scored 81 seats in the 106-seat parliament, results from the 23 July polls show.

Uprona opposition party won 17 seats while Frodebu Nyakuri got five. The remaining three seats go to three people from the Twa ethnic community, RFI’s correspondent Judith Basutama reported.

The senate poll was expected to start at 9:00 am and end at 4:00 pm. But in some constituencies, it lasted less than 30 minutes, Basutama reports.

Electoral commission chief said around 67 per cent of voters took part in the elections, which were peaceful.

Senate elections are the last elections in a series of polls since May, which have been marred by violence and allegations of fraud.

Opposition parties accuse the ruling party off rigging local elections on 24 May and have withdrawn their candidates. Two opposition leaders have since gone into hiding. Former rebel leader Agathon Rwasa who joined the government last year and was seen as Nkurunziza's key challenger said he feared for his life.