Ex-rebel group gets three mayors in Bujumbura

Just days before expiry of Saturday's deadline set by the former main rebel movement in Burundi to withdraw from the transitional government, Interior Minister Simon Nyandwi has announced the appointment of three mayors from the movement to head neighbourhoods in the capital, Bujumbura. Nyandwi told reporters on Wednesday that he had appointed Zacharie Nibigira, Evole Pierre Bashingwa and Viola Nibogora to head of the neighbourhoods of Kinama, Gihosha and Kinindo, respectively. On Monday, the former rebel movement, the Conseil national pour la defense de la demoratie-Forces de defense de la democratie (CNDD-FDD) led by Pierre Nkurunziza, announced that it had suspended its participation in the government over what it termed delays by the government in the implementation of a power-sharing accord signed on 16 November 2003. Nibogora becomes the first woman to head a neighbourhood in Bujumbura. However, a few years ago, another woman had headed Gatumba sub-county in the neighbouring Bujumbura Rural Province. Nyandwi said the appointment of the mayors was the only possible measure taken by the government so far, with regard to CNDD-FDD's demands. "For other appointments in the territorial administration, we submitted proposals to the president and vice-president three weeks ago but we are still waiting [for their response]," he said. The mayoral appointments are in response to CNDD-FDD's threat to pull out of the government and the National Assembly by Saturday, if the government fails to honour its pledges and implement the power-sharing accord on government posts. CNDD-FDD ministers and members of parliament have suspended their participation in the Cabinet and in parliament to protest what they called unacceptable delays in the implementation of the accord. On Monday, presidential spokesman Pancrace Cimpaye promised that the government would meet all the movement's demands within a week. Under the terms of the accord, the CNDD-FDD is entitled to provide two ambassadors, three governors, 30 administrators and to occupy 20 percent of posts in the public administration and 35 percent in the intelligence services. However, six months after the signing of the accord, these appointments have not been made.