Burundi’s constitutional court on Thursday affirmed last month’s presidential election results and thereby upholding the victory of the ruling party’s presidential candidate.
The ruling CNDD-FDD party’s candidate, retired general Evariste Ndayishimiye was declared winner of the presidential election last month by the electoral commission.
Burundi’s election commission said Ndayishimiye won with 69% of votes cast while opposition candidate, Agathon Rwasa garnered 24% of the vote.
Rwasa filed a court challenge alleging of electoral fraud in the voting process which was the first competitive election in Burundi since a civil war erupted in 1993.
The court ruled that “that the presidential election held on May 20 was regular, that Evariste Ndayishimiye is the president-elect.”
It adds that “No irregularities that could call into question the ballot boxes’ results were noted either at the level of the voting, the counting or while establishing the voting results.”
Incumbent President Pierre Nkurunziza will now stay in office until August before handing over to President-elect Ndayishimiye for a seven-year term.
In 2015 when president Nkurunziza decided to run for a third, five-year term in 2015 it sparked widespread protests and violence.
His decision to stand down was welcomed by many with the country conferring on him the title of “Supreme Guide of Patriotism” and that came with a lavish send-off perks including a villa worth $530,000.
Burundi is one of the world’s poorest countries and largely depends on donor support.
Source: Africafeeds.com
