BURUNDI'S RULING PARTY ELECTS NEW PARTY HEAD

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000065

SIPDIS

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DEPT FOR AF/C AND DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR BY
SUBJECT: BURUNDI'S RULING PARTY ELECTS NEW PARTY HEAD


1. (U) At a party congress in Ngozi on February 7, Burundi's ruling
party, the CNDD-FDD, elected a new party president, Jeremie
Ngendakumana, the current ambassador to Kenya. The party also elected
two Vice Presidents, members of parliament Jean Marie Sesema from
Bubanza and Denise Sindokotse from Bujumbura Rurale. Sindokotse is a
Tutsi and a former Ministry of Communications Chief of Staff. This
marks the first time the party has elected vice presidents. The party
also elected two Executive Secretaries, Lazare Mvuyekure and Canesius
Ndayavune.


2. (U) The CNDD-FDD's Secretary General opened the conference with
comments reaffirming the party's commitment to the principles of
democracy and human rights. He asked for the support of Burundi's
partners, saying that the party is committed to an open and
transparent dialogue. Several ambassadors accredited to Burundi,
including Ambassador Moller, attended the opening ceremonies.


3. (U) The Ngozi congress follows weeks of growing divisions and
increasingly acrimonious debate concerning the party's leadership.
The party's former president, Hussein Radjabu, declined to attend the
session. Radjabu subsequently announced that he did not recognize the
party's decisions because they did not follow the constitution or
party laws. He claimed that many party members were still behind him.
Other notable absentees included the Second Vice President, Marina
Barampama, a key Radjabu supporter. Barampama reportedly sought to
dissuade some CNDD-FDD members from attending by convoking a meeting
of officials from socio-economic ministries in Bujumbura on the same
day. Nevertheless, the congress enjoyed a high turnout from all
regions except Muyinga, Radjabu's traditional power base.


4. (SBU) Comment: It is too early to speculate on the meaning of
these appointments and on their possible impact on party politics.
Ambassador Ngendakumana is considered to have strong ties to President
Nkurunziza; his appointment may suggest a move to strengthen the
President's role in the party. Some observers have suggested that the
government gave him his current post in Kenya in an effort to defuse
tensions between Ambassador Ngendakumana and Radjabu.

MOLLER