Burundi election "peaceful", but not "inclusive, free and credible": UN observers

UN electoral observers in Burundi said last week's presidential election in which President Pierre Nkurunziza won a disputed third term was relatively peaceful, but "the overall environment was not conducive for an inclusive, free and credible election process," said a UN spokesman at Monday's daily briefing.

The UN Electoral Observation Mission (MENUB) in Burundi has given its preliminary statement regarding the conduct of the July 21 presidential elections, according to Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general.

"In its preliminary conclusions, the mission says that while Election Day was relatively peaceful and conducted adequately, the overall environment was not conducive for an inclusive, free and credible election process," said Dujarric.

According to the mission, Burundians in most places went peacefully to the polls to cast their ballots, and that polling activities in the observed polling sites largely followed procedure while tabulation at the observed municipal and provincial locations was carried out expeditiously albeit in a disorganized manner.

But the UN Observation Mission also noted the environment of profound mistrust between opposing political camps and that the parties did not reach agreement on a consensual electoral calendar, said Dujarric.

The mission said that freedom of expression, assembly and association, essential conditions for the effective exercise of the right vote, remains severely impaired. Media freedom also remains severely restricted, noted Dujarric.

Burundi was plunged into a political crisis following the announcement by President Pierre Nkurunziza that he would contest for a third term. The opposition and civil society groups opposed his candidature, arguing that the Arusha Agreement stipulated that presidents serve for only two terms.

Nkurunziza did not face a strong contestant, since some opposition groups boycotted the election. Endite