Ahead of the 2025 and 2027 elections, residents of Gitega province in the center of the country want elected officials to keep their promises regarding the projects presented. Women say they are ready to run for office, while traders are demanding more security and the reopening of land borders between Rwanda and Burundi.
Residents of Gitega province believe that those running for office must keep their promises made during the campaign.
“I am ready to participate in the next elections,” says Thierry Nsabimana, a trader at the Gitega market. For this young bachelor, what matters is that the elections take place in peace and calm.
“The citizen needs security to freely go about his daily activities,” he insists. Concerning the projects presented by the future representatives of the people during the campaign period, Mr. Nsabimana deplores that one can elect a candidate on the pretext that it will bring individual benefits.
“Normally, the projects presented by candidates during the campaign should not aim at the development of a single individual, but should concern all citizens. That is why we hope that those who present the projects will keep them. We often see the opposite,” he notes.
The reopening of land borders between Rwanda and Burundi: a major asset
“As a trader, I would like the reopening of the borders between Rwanda and Burundi to be among the projects to be presented during the elections,” asks SN, a trader at the Gitega market.
She explains that the closure of these borders disadvantages traders who have to get supplies from Uganda. To get to Kampala in Uganda, you currently have to go around via the Kobero (Burundi) – Kabanga (Tanzania) border. “The journey takes about 2 days. The first few days, the cost was estimated at 200 thousand FBu. Previously, I used to go through Ngozi to take a bus to Kampala in Nyabugogo in Rwanda. The journey from Nyabugogo to Kampala took less than a day. Some traders made a round trip. The cost was around 140 thousand FBu,” explains SN
She confirms that the longer the journey, the more expensive the stay and meals become. Not to mention the increased fatigue.
Women ready to compete
Pascasie Nahishakiye, a Kaguhu hill chief in Giheta commune in Gitega province, says she has already started encouraging women to run for office in order to break taboos. “In the past, Burundian women were neither allowed to go to school nor to run for office. Currently, the law allows women to elect and be elected. It is therefore crucial to take advantage of what the law grants us,” she explains.
Ms. Nahishakiye testifies that the presence of women in decision-making bodies allows them to better express their opinions and contribute to the development not only of the family, but also of the country.
Calinie Nahishakiye, a trader at the Gitega market, says she never ran for office. A member of the Pentecostal church, she says she was disappointed by Christians who tear each other apart during the election period. Which means she doesn’t feel concerned about the electoral process, much less about getting elected.
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