BURUNDI'S RULING PARTY ELECTS NEW PARTY HEAD

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000074

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

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