Central Africa Report

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the political and security crisis in Burundi triggered by President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term in 2015. It details the historical context of the Burundian civil war, the CNDD-FDD's consolidation of power through repression and the marginalization of opposition parties, and the internal fractures within the ruling party. The document examines the failure of constitutional amendments, the role of the security sector in suppressing dissent, and the subsequent impact on civil society and the media.

• President Pierre Nkurunziza's announcement on 25 April 2015 that he would seek a third term conflicted with the Burundian Constitution and the 2000 Arusha Agreement, which limited presidents to two terms. This decision led to a crisis resulting in 542 deaths and the displacement of 265,175 refugees as of 3 June 2016.
• The ruling CNDD-FDD party used a legal interpretation of the Constitution to justify the third term, arguing that because Nkurunziza's first term was not elected by universal suffrage, it did not count toward the two-term limit set in Article 96.
• Between 2011 and 2013, the government passed several repressive laws to restrict political space, including a 2011 law on political party accreditation, a 2012 law penalizing opposition leaders for 'lies or slander', a 2013 law restricting public demonstrations, and a 2013 media law that limited reporting on national security.
• The CNDD-FDD employed a strategy termed 'nyakurisation' to weaken the opposition by creating dissident groups within opposition parties and offering financial incentives to opposition figures to join the ruling party.
• Internal divisions within the CNDD-FDD emerged over the third-term bid, pitting a military hard-core and the National Intelligence Services (SNR) against civilian intellectuals and some military veterans. Dissenters were often disciplined through removal from posts or foreign assignments.
• Corruption was prevalent during Nkurunziza's presidency, highlighted by the 2006 illicit sale of the presidential Falcon 50 plane and a 2010 controversy involving the purchase of telecommunications equipment for US$500 million.
• A failed coup attempt on 13 and 14 May 2015, led by Godefroid Niyombare and Cyrille Ndayirukiye and involving approximately 10 generals, led to a government crackdown on peaceful protestors and the closure of private radio stations.
• The 2015 elections were boycotted by much of the opposition and lacked international credibility, with the European Union and African Union refusing to observe. The CNDD-FDD won an overwhelming victory, further consolidating its control over government institutions.

APA

Bouka, Y., & Wolters, S. (2016). Central Africa Report. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CentralAfricaReportNo7.pdf

Chicago

Bouka, Yolande, and Stephanie Wolters. Central Africa Report. Institute for Security Studies, 2016. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CentralAfricaReportNo7.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bouka |first1=Yolande |last2=Wolters |first2=Stephanie |title=Central Africa Report |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=July 2016 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CentralAfricaReportNo7.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bouka2016central, author = {Bouka, Yolande and Wolters, Stephanie}, title = {{Central Africa Report}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2016}, month = jul, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CentralAfricaReportNo7.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }