New public prosecutor appointed

Burundi has appointed a new public prosecutor from the mainly-Hutu FRODEBU party, Burundian media sources told IRIN today. He was named as Gerard Ngendabanka, a former justice minister. Burundian delegates attending the Nairobi conference organised by the Compagnie des apotres de la paix (CAP) told IRIN Ngendabanka was a “consensus” appointment between FRODEBU and President Pierre Buyoya within the framework of the new political partnership. Joseph Nzeyimana, leader of the pro-Tutsi RADDES party, said the appointment of a Hutu public prosecutor came within the context of reforming the justice system. Observers said the appointment has been generally well-received in the country, although Tutsis were adopting a “wait-and-see” approach. A Burundian exile attending the CAP meeting described Ngendabanka’s appointment as a “step in the right direction” but added it should have been made by a democratically-elected government rather than as a result of the political partnership.