Burundi's prosecutor shuts down private local radio station

The Burundi-based African Public Radio (RPA) was Monday shut down following a notice from the prosecutor in Bujumbura Municipality, a notice posted on the radio building gate said.

From the notice, people could see that the African Public Radio (RPA) was closed down "over an offence."

The notice did not however say which offense has been committed by the radio.

"The situation prevailing now is a follow up to the closure of the Burundi Press House, the cutting of signals of independent radio stations in the countryside, the closure of the African Public Radio (RPA). Simply, it is the destructuralization of the national constitution," said Innocent Muhozi, Chairman of the Burundi Press Observatory (OPB).

By noon local time, the African Public Radio (RPA), Ngozi branch, was also shut down.

The governor of Ngozi province, the prosecutor in Ngozi and the police commissioner in Ngozi province deployed to the office of RPA Ngozi to shut down the RPA branch.

A notice from the prosecutor in Ngozi province said the RPA Ngozi branch was shut down for "relaying" live transmissions of RPA Bujumbura.

Earlier at 11:00 local time, a radio synergy that had brought together five private radio stations since 08:00 in the morning was also suspended.

Those private radio stations involved in the synergy included the African Public Radio (RPA), Bonesha FM, Radio Isanganiro, Renaissance Radio and CCIB FM+ Radio.

The chairman of the Burundian Broadcasters' Association (ABR) Patrick Nduwimana indicated that two journalists and an agent working at the Burundi Press House were "harassed" during the closure of the radio synergy.

The African Public Radio (RPA) is one of the most famous radio stations in Burundi that has carried out the biggest investigative reporting notably the assassination of three Italian nuns in September last year at Kamenge parish in the capital Bujumbura.

On Sunday afternoon, Burundian Home Affairs Minister Edouard Nduwimana urged local radio stations to suspend their live reporting on the demonstrations that were ongoing and stressed that live reporting could cause "uncontrolled mass protests" countrywide.

The protests are aimed to force Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza to drop his intention to run for third term in the presidential election due on June 26.

Nkurunziza was Saturday elected by his party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), in a extraordinary congress, to represent the party in the upcoming presidential election.

Earlier, Burundi's opposition and civil society had called for mass protests if the country's ruling party (CNDD-FDD) nominates Nkurunziza to run a third term which, they say, would be a violation of the country's constitution and the Arusha Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Burundi.

The constitution and the Arusha Agreement stipulate that a president of Burundi cannot serve the country for more than two terms.

Nkurunziza was elected by parliament in 2005 and directly re- elected by citizens in 2010.

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