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Viewing cable 07BUJUMBURA74, BURUNDI'S RULING PARTY ELECTS NEW PARTY HEAD

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07BUJUMBURA74 2007-02-12 07:49 2011-08-30 01:44 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Bujumbura
VZCZCXYZ0007
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJB #0074 0430749
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120749Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0033
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
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