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Burundi's opposition names candidate for presidential election

Xinhua, April 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

Nine parties forming the Participatory Opposition Coalition in Burundi (COPA) have designated Jean de Dieu Mutabazi as the Coalition candidate during Burundi's forthcoming presidential election, the Coalition told a press conference on Monday.

"The political parties gathering in the Participatory Opposition Coalition in Burundi (COPA) have chosen me to run the upcoming presidential election. We don't fear any candidate including President Pierre Nkurunziza if his party (the CNDD-FDD) designates him as a candidate," said Jean de Dieu Mutabazi, chairman of the COPA since its creation in September last year.

According to him, the platform for the Coalition focuses on two main pillars including adapting the National Constitution and eradicating poverty in Burundi.

"The ethnic component in the National Constitution should be adapted to realities. The majority Hutu ethnic group (85 percent of Burundian people) has been given 60 percent of positions in the country's institutions but this is not enough. The Ganwa (royal family) group is absent in the National Constitution while it should also be represented," said Mutabazi.

The specificity of the Participatory Opposition Coalition in Burundi (COPA) is that it appreciates positive initiatives taking place in Burundi and denounces negative actions by showing which ways to take.

Jean de Dieu Mutabazi is the sixth candidate to Burundi's presidential election.

Last week, the National Rally for Change (RANAC) opposition coalition designated former President and Senator Domitien Ndayizeye as its candidate to the country's presidential election.

Three weeks ago, Dr Jean Minani chairman of the Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU-Nyakuri) was also designated as the party candidate for presidential election.

Earlier this month, Jeremie Minani also announced that he will participate in the forthcoming presidential election as an independent candidate.

Two months ago, former chairman of Burundi Bar Association Isidore Rufyikiri also announced his plan to stand the forthcoming presidential election as an independent candidate.

Burundi is this year to hold general elections between May 26 and August 24, with the presidential election to be held on June 26. Endi