VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJB #0522 2041521
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231521Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0438
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000522 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C AND INR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BY
SUBJECT: DISSENSION WITHIN BURUNDI'S OPPOSITION UPRONA 
 
REF: BUJUMBURA 513 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  The Executive Committee of UPRONA voted to 
suspend from the party its two highest-ranking members of the 
government, following the party's decision not to participate 
in the new cabinet.  After his suspension, the First 
Vice-President of the Republic consulted the arm of the party 
with the statutory authority to suspend members, the Central 
Committee, which asserted its authority, and subsequently 
overturned the ruling by the Executive Committee.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) The Executive Committee of Burundi's third-largest 
political party, the Union for National Progress (UPRONA), 
voted July 19 to suspend Burundi's First Vice-President, Dr. 
Martin Nduwimana, from the party, as well as to suspend the 
recently appointed Minister of Transportation, Philippe 
Njoni.  The suspensions followed broad changes in the cabinet 
of President Pierre Nkurunziza, announced July 13 (Reftel). 
Dr. Nduwimana and Mr. Njoni are the UPRONA party's highest 
ranking members in the cabinet. 
 
¶3. (U) UPRONA had refused to participate in the new 
government, and indeed, Dr. Yves Sahinguvu, the newly 
appointed Minister of Public Health, declined his nomination, 
citing internal party rules.  Some older UPRONA members from 
Dr. Nduwimana's home province of Bururi had urged the party 
to dismiss the First Vice-President for his willingness to 
sign the President's decree announcing the new cabinet 
members, and the new Minister of Transport for his agreement 
to join the government.  When the Executive Committee made 
the July 19 announcement to suspend the two, the First 
Vice-President consulted the party's Central Committee to 
explain his reasons for signing the decree.  The Central 
Committee convened, and declaring their authority in this 
matter, decided that the First Vice-President and the new 
Minister of Transport would remain members of the party and 
of the government. 
 
Internal Workings of UPRONA 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) UPRONA's internal control is exercised through two 
arms of the party, the Executive Committee, comprised of 
thirty-four members, and the much larger Central Committee. 
The Executive Committee was able to garner twenty-six votes 
in favor of the suspensions, and made its announcement 
without the approval of the Central Committee.  Though 
smaller, the Executive Committee is composed of established 
and powerful members, and has much sway in the party, but, in 
accordance with party guidelines, it does not have the 
authority to suspend members.  This authority rests with the 
larger Central Committee. 
 
¶5. (U) The Central Committee enjoys a much more broad-based 
and representative swath of the party.  It is comprised of 
twenty members from each of Burundi's seventeen provinces, 
twenty university students from across the country, and eight 
"National Secretaries."  According to UPRONA's internal 
statutes (Article 46), for a general member of the party to 
be suspended, the Central Committee must convene a 
"Disciplinary Council", which then makes a recommendation of 
suspension (or not) to the Central Committee.  It is at this 
point that the Central Committee decides, and makes known its 
decision. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment.  This disagreement between the Executive 
and Central Committees could signal a potential rift in the 
party.  According to some political observers here, the 
Executive Committee is comprised of prominent, permanent 
members who do the daily work of the party, but most of the 
power in the party is statutorily invested in the Central 
Committee.  Granting that the Executive Committee overreached 
in its attempt to suspend the party's highest ranking members 
in the government, its come-uppance by the Central Committee 
will likely rankle, and could have further consequences.  End 
Comment. 
MOLLER