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Campaigns for Burundi's presidential poll kicks off

Xinhua, June 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

Campaigns for Burundi's presidential elections officially kicked off on Friday, 20 days before the first round of the presidential

On Thursday, the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) released a specimen for the ballot papers to the candidates.

"The presidential campaigns begins on June 25 and ends on July 12, 2015," CENI President Pierre Claver Ndayicariye told the media in Bujumbura.

Besides Nkurunziza, the candidate for the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD- FDD), other candidates include Gerard Nduwayo of the Union for National Progress (UPRONA), Jean de Dieu Mutabazi of the Coalition of Political Parties for Participatory Opposition (COPA) and ex- president Domitien Ndayizeye (2003-2005) of National Rally for Change (RANAC).

The other candidates include Agathon Rwasa of the radical opposition coalition called Abigenga Mizero y'Abarundi, Jacques Bigirimana of the National Liberalization Forces, Jean Minani of the Sahwanya Frodebu Nyakuri Iragi rya Ndadaye party and ex- president Sylvestre Ntibantunganya (1994-1996), an independent candidate.

Only CNDD-FDD, UPRONA, FNL and COPA contested during the June 29 legislative elections and they are the only ones expected to contest for the presidential elections since the other candidates have continued to oppose the current electoral process.

Electoral campaigns for the presidential elections begin at a time when political dialogue is ongoing under the auspices of the new UN mediator, Abdoulaye Bathily.

The dialogue which CNDD-FDD and UPRONA have refused to take part in, is aimed at ending the current political crisis that resulted from the controversial third term bid by Nkurunziza.

The government has demanded that dialogue should be held after the elections and it should be mediated by the East African Community. Endi