VZCZCXYZ0016
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJB #0591/01 2330821
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 210821Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0504
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000591 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/C 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BY
SUBJECT: BURUNDI CENTRIST PARTY LEADER SEES PARTY DIVISIONS 
AS KEY TO POLITICAL IMPASSE 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary: During an August 6 meeting with the 
Ambassador, Epitace Bayaganakandi, National Assembly member 
for the small Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen 
(MRC) party attributed the political impasse stifling 
Burundi's progress to the growing internal divisions within 
the major political parties.  Bayaganakandi explained that 
while there are factions in each of the parties committed to 
the management of political and economic affairs, there are 
others who refuse to participate in the legislative process 
and are instead focused on protecting their political images 
in preparation for the 2010 elections, a full three years 
down the road.  Bayaganakandi asserted that his young, 
centrist party is satisfied to play the role of mediator 
between President Nkurunziza and his major political 
opposition.  Bayaganakandi conveyed that he urged President 
Nkurunziza to seek a vision for Burundi, and to avoid future 
scandals by coveting experience over loyalty when naming 
individuals to influential positions in the government.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The leader of Burundi's MRC party and member of the 
National Assembly, Epitace Bayaganakandi, shared his 
perceptions of the political impasse plaguing the Burundi 
government with the Ambassador on August 6.  Bayaganakandi 
asserted that the root of the stalemate can be attributed to 
internal problems within the major opposition parties and 
their political ambitions for the 2010 elections. 
Bayaganakandi claimed that FRODEBU, UPRONA and the ruling 
National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Forces for 
the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party each have 2 wings 
consisting of those who actively seek cooperation and 
compromise with Nkurunziza's government, and those who refuse 
to participate in the legislative process.  He noted that 
certain factions of the Union for National Progress (UPRONA), 
the Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU), and even the 
ruling CNDD-FDD party do not want to share in the blame and 
the responsibility of the problems plaguing Burundi today and 
are instead distancing themselves to protect their political 
agendas for the future.  Bayaganakandi conceded that there 
are some in opposition who continue to participate fully in 
the parliament, in an attempt to resolve a potential 
budgetary crisis, but argued that they are only responding to 
the pressure being exerted by Nkurunziza who is 
characterizing political abstainers as rebels.  Bayaganakandi 
lamented that dialogue between the major political parties is 
now nearly impossible as goodwill is secondary to achieving 
their own political objectives. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Bayaganakandi stated that his predominately Tutsi 
MRC party was less than 5 years old, originating during 
Burundi's transitional period following the civil war. 
Bayaganakandi declared that the objective of his centrist MRC 
party was to be a catalyst for institutional change 
throughout Burundi's political, economic and social spectrum. 
 Unfortunately, he complained, since 2005, little or no 
change can be seen other than in the areas of security, 
education and health.  Instead, Bayaganakandi points to 
corruption, human rights abuses, extrajudicial killings and 
various financial scandals as the major contributions of 
Nkurunziza's ruling government.  Bayaganakandi claimed that 
the MRC only wishes to stay in their present role as 
mediators between the major opposition parties and the 
government.  Bayaganakandi maintains that his party is 
advising President Nkurunziza to keep the promises he has 
made to Burundi's people and the international community, and 
to respect the constitution.  In addition, Bayaganakandi 
stated that the MRC party is asking opposition parties not to 
form blockages to progress and to allow the financial and 
political institutions to keep functioning. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Bayaganakandi reiterated the necessity for 
Nkurunziza's government to initiate a productive dialogue 
between all of the political voices.  He also hoped that 
Nkurunziza would actively seek good and objective advice, 
actively seek a political coalition and govern with a vision 
for the future.  In particular, in light of recent scandals 
and political failures, Bayaganakandi urged President 
Nkurunziza to take heed of the distinction between political 
positions and technical positions.  Bayaganakandi explained 
that appointees to critical positions cannot be made out of 
loyalty without respect to their relative experience.  He 
pointed to the naming of Isaac Bizimana, a former cashier for 
the CNDD-FDD party, as the Governor of the Central Bank and 
who is now in custody for possible misappropriation of funds 
in the recent Interpetrol scandal.  Bayaganakandi also called 
upon the international community to facilitate a dialogue 
 
amongst the political factions by reminding all players that 
compromise and sacrifice are the keys to successful 
solutions. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Comment:  Unlike the FRODEBU and UPRONA parties 
and their leaders, the small MRC party has virtually no 
aspirations for political dominance in the governance of 
Burundi.  In that respect, Bayaganakandi spoke rationally and 
objectively about his views on the current political impasse. 
 Although he did not offer more in the way of solutions 
besides the ubiquitous call for dialogue, Bayaganakandi did 
suggest that the Parliament's disorganized and unproductive 
preoccupation with scandals, and the President's inability to 
surround himself with capable and independent advisors is 
only complicating politician's abilities to keep Burundi 
moving forward economically and socially.  Bayaganakandi 
spoke not necessarily as a politician with an agenda, but as 
a Burundian who cared for the future of his nation.  End 
Comment. 
MOLLER