A top US diplomat will join East African Heads of State in Dar es Salaam today as regional mediation efforts take centre stage to diffuse the growing political crisis in Burundi over President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term.
The involvement of US assistant secretary for African Affairs, Ms Linda Thomas-Greenfield, underscores the high degree of US concern over the potentially explosive situation in Burundi.
The top US official arrived in Dar es Salaam for the EAC Heads of State emergency Summit on Burundi to be held at the State House. The US State Department had announced on Monday they would be sending their representative to the talks.
Ms Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the UN, warned last week that the crisis in Burundi could destabilise the Great Lakes region.
“Her presence (Ms Thomas-Greenfield) highlights US support for the Arusha Agreement and political dialogue among all parties to ensure peaceful, credible and inclusive elections in Burundi,” said the state department.
“The US commends the EAC for its leadership and engagement on Burundi,” Monday’s statement said.
Washington has previously declared its opposition to the decision by Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza to seek a third term. The US says Mr Nkurunziza’s action violates the terms of the Arusha Agreement that was signed in 2000 to put an end to a bloody internal conflict in Burundi.
Speaking at the UN last Friday, Ambassador Power raised the threat of US sanctions against those deemed responsible for fomenting violence in Burundi.
Several activists taking part in protests against President Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term have been killed during the past week in Bujumbura.
More than 50,000 Burundians have so far fled to Tanzania, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo as insecurity has increased.
Yesterday, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister Bernard Membe told journalists that the African Union Chairperson Ms Nkoosazana Dlamini-Zuma and the South African President Mr Jacob Zuma are also expected at the talks.
President Jakaya Kikwete who is the EAC chairman will host the critical talks to be attended by his counterparts Uhuru Kenyatta, Paul Kagame, Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) Nkurunziza. All the other presidents have reportedly confirmed participation except the Burundian leader who, according to Mr Membe was invited.
The meeting will receive and discuss a report compiled by a fact finding mission sent to Burundi by President Kikwete to assess the political situation in that country. Mr Membe and his counterparts, Ms Louise Mushikiwabo (Rwanda) and Kenya’s Amina Mohamed were sent to Burundi.
The Heads of State will be trying their own hand at peace-making to help resolve the political stand-off that has so far led to the death of more than 10 people.
EAC foreign affairs ministers from the bloc were locked in a whole day’s meeting at the Serena Hotel to lay the agenda for today’s talks. They also interviewed eminent persons led by Tanzania’s former Prime Minister Judge (rtd) Joseph Warioba who took part in the Arusha settlement.
Other well-known people in the team include Uganda’s first woman vice president Dr Wandira Kazibwe and ambassador Bethuel Kiplagat from Kenya who represents the EAC community on the panel and is also the current chairperson.
Meanwhile, the leader of Burundi’s opposition UPD, Mr Chauvineau Mugwengezo, has listed six key issues that he wants addressed during the talks.
Mr Mugwengezo said he was in the country to monitor what will be discussed in their leaders’ first meeting since protest broke out in President Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term. He wants the EAC Heads of State to compel their Burundian counterpart to disarm groups of people who were using firearms in the streets of Bujumbura to cause havoc.
“We want to see the state seizing all the firearms because our people are currently fleeing the country and seeking refuge in the neighbouring countries,’’ he stated.
The opposition leader also asked leaders to advise Mr Nkurunziza to guarantee security and stop intimidating opposition leaders.
Reported by Kevin J. Kelley in New York and Katare Mbashiru and Henry Mwangonde in Dar es Salaam
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