– Demonstrators disappointed –
Key international donors have withdrawn their support for the polls, as has the influential Catholic Church in Burundi, and on Saturday it emerged that a senior member of the election commission had fled the country – further plunging preparations for the polls into disarray.
The country’s main opposition leader, Agathon Rwasa, also said elections would be a “masquerade” if they go ahead.
UN special envoy Said Djinnit said on Friday that talks between the Burundian government and opposition had made progress on several issues – including the reopening of independent media and the release of detainees – but not on the key issue of a halt to protests in return for Nkurunziza’s agreement not to stand again.
He said both sides “have agreed to resume their talks after the summit in Dar es Salaam”.
But demonstrators on the streets of Bujumbura said they were disappointed by the outcome of the summit.
“It doesn’t change anything. One month is not enough. There are lots of problems – independent media has not reopened, the rights of protestors are violated. All of this needs to be resolved before elections can be held,” said Antoine, an anti-Nkurunziza activist who asked that his full name not be published.
“It shows that the heads of state don’t have the will to deal with Nkurunziza,” said another demonstrator. “The crisis will continue, even get worse.”
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