BURUNDI FORMER MINISTER ADVOCATES RADJABU'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUJUMBURA 000565

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/C

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2017/08/08
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BY
SUBJECT: BURUNDI FORMER MINISTER ADVOCATES RADJABU'S
RELEASE

REF: BUJUMBURA 521

Classified By: Ambassador Patricia Moller for reasons 1.4b and d.


1. (SBU) Summary: In a meeting on August 6, National Council
for the Defense of Democracy - Forces for the Defense of
Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party member and former Minister of
Commerce and Industry Jean Bigirimana claimed that the
political malaise plaguing Burundi's government can be
alleviated through the release of former CNDD-FDD party
leader, Hussein Radjabu. Bigirimana asserted that the
impasse in the government's political impasse is a direct
result of the ruling party's decision to oust Radjabu as head
of the CNDD-FDD at the party congress which took place in
Ngozi on Februry 7. The staunch Radjabu ally declared that
Radjabu is misunderstood and is innocent of many of the
crimes currently alleged against him. He asked the U.S. to
exert pressure on the government of Burundi to release
Radjabu from prison. Bigirimana accused President Pierre
Nkurunziza's government of violating CNDD-FDD party rules,
skirting the constitution, and fomenting fear among civil
servants at all levels of government which Bigirimana claims
is a direct cause of rampant corruption and embezzlement.
Bigirimana suggested that Burundi adopt morality reforms to
help screen candidates seeking government positions and to
monitor those members in office. End Summary.


2. (SBU) A staunch ally of former CNDD-FDD party leader
Hussein Radjabu, Jean Bigirimana, the leader of Bujumbura's
CNDD-FDD party, offered his opinions concerning Burundi's
political quagmire to Ambassador Moller on August 6.
Bigirimana described the political situation as 'worsening'
and directly attributed the government's woes to the ouster
of Radjabu as CNDD-FDD party president at the congress in
Ngozi on February 7 and his current incarceration in
Bujumbura's Mpimba Central prison. He complained that the
government of Burundi (GOB) is wrongly blaming Radjabu for
many of the scandals plaguing the nation, including the sale
of the presidential jet (reftel.) and the extrajudicial
killings in Muyinga in 2006. In support of his complaint, he
stated that the World Bank's analysis of the sale of the
plane, and the military court's findings pertaining to the
killings are proof that Radjabu is being jailed illegally.
Bigirimana claimed that releasing Radjabu from jail is the
only way to move the country forward. The former minister
also commented that political observers and the GOB accused
Radjabu, as head of the ruling party, of managing the
government's affairs like a one party state by requiring
officials, regardless of party affiliation, support the
politics of the ruling party or risk losing their positions.
On the contrary, countered Bigirimana, it is the habit of
Burundians to flock to a winner.


3. (C) According to Bigirimana, President Nkurunziza and
his government have no respect for the law or Burundi's
constitution. Without being specific, he suggested that the
current administration was 'breaking rules' in other areas as
well. Bigirimana surmised that the lack of progress in the
National Assembly is a tactic being used by the legislature
to compel Nkurunziza to respect the constitution. Bigirimana
added that the current blockage of progress can not only be
seen in Burundi's National Assembly but also out in the
communities, where he claimed more than 80% of local
governments were not operating properly. In support of this
statement, he accused Nkurunziza's administration of sacking
civil servants who showed any support for former CNDD-FDD
party head Radjabu, or to the major opposition party, the
Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU). Bigirimana
attributed the rampant corruption and the reluctance to work
together in the spirit of goodwill at all levels of
government as a by-product of a prevailing fear of losing
influential positions due to suspected disloyalty to the
current regime. To combat corruption, Bigirimana suggested
that Burundi adopt institutional and morality reforms aimed
at investigating and monitoring the actions of current and
prospective civil servants.


4. (C) Comment: Although credible and hard-working during
his tenure as Minister of Finance, Bigirimana obviously
arrived at the meeting with an agenda focused solely on
finding support for the release of his friend and ally,
Hussein Radjabu. While Bigirimana spoke candidly on the need
for dialogue between the political factions and President
Nkurunziza, he made it clear that he believed the actions of
Nkurunziza and his government were illegal, unproductive and
unsupported by his faction of the CNDD-FDD, and that the only
path to resolution was through political involvement of

Radjabu. Due to Radjabu's perceived betrayal by his party,
some political observers speculate that Radjabu is
spearheading the creation of a new political party.
Bigirimana's highly scripted presentation, fervently
advocating for Radjabu's release, may suggest that instead
Radjabu's ultimate intent is to accelerate Nkurunziza's
demise by splitting the ruling CNDD-FDD party. End Comment.
MOLLER