South African Deputy President and facilitator of the Burundi peace process Jacob Zuma arrived in the Burundian capital, Bujumbura, on Tuesday for talks with key political stakeholders on the country’s peace process.
Zuma told reporters that the talks would focus on general elections, due to be held by November, and on a faction of the Forces Nationales de Liberation (FNL), the only rebel group that has not signed a ceasefire agreement with the transitional government of Burundi.
He said he could not give his personal view on the impending elections since Burundi’s political leadership was yet to reach a consensus on the issue.
”I don’t have the last word in this matter, the last word comes from Burundi people and of course from the region,” Zuma said. ”This view will emerge from consultations. I don’t know what the views of the different parties are. Part of the reason I am here is also to make that kind of assessment.”
Asked to comment on the fate of Agathon Rwasa’s faction of the FNL, which has ignored a three-month ultimatum given to it by regional leaders to stop fighting, Zuma said he was not in a position to announce any decision at the moment.
”I cannot not give a decision, that is going to come from consultations, then a report will be submitted to the region,” he said. ”The issue of the FNL is one of the items on the agenda, not only here in Burundi, but also in the region.”
He added, ”From here, I will be seeing the chairperson of [the] Regional Initiative [on Burundi], so this matter is going to feature on the agenda.”
After Burundi, Zuma is due to travel to Uganda on Thursday for a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni, the chairperson of the Regional Initiative on Burundi. — Irin