1. Home
  2. East Africa
  3. Burundi
  • News

Buyoya facing “serious situation”

Regional analysts told IRIN the situation is very serious for President Pierre Buyoya whose economic policies are highly unpopular in Bujumbura. They drew parallels with the situation in 1996 when the-then president Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was overthrown because Bujumbura residents decided they had had enough of the worsening security situation and called on the army to help them. “For Burundians, particularly those in Bujumbura, if they feel the president is unable to lead they will urge the army to intervene,” one analyst said. The opposition Alliance Nationale pour le Changement (ANAC) grouping, which comprises the hardline Tutsi party PARENA, is said to be exploiting the current economic turmoil. “Tutsis believe Buyoya has failed them, both economically and politically,” the analyst added. An average civil servant earns the equivalent of US $28 per month, and the spiralling cost of fuel means much of the salary is spent on transport costs. “Many people feel they have nothing to lose,” a citizen of Bujumbura told IRIN.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

Share this article

Get the day’s top headlines in your inbox every morning

Starting at just $5 a month, you can become a member of The New Humanitarian and receive our premium newsletter, DAWNS Digest.

DAWNS Digest has been the trusted essential morning read for global aid and foreign policy professionals for more than 10 years.

Government, media, global governance organisations, NGOs, academics, and more subscribe to DAWNS to receive the day’s top global headlines of news and analysis in their inboxes every weekday morning.

It’s the perfect way to start your day.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian today and you’ll automatically be subscribed to DAWNS Digest – free of charge.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian

Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

Join