Uganda's Lacklustre Role as Mediator in Burundi's Political Crisis, written by Kasaija Phillip Apuuli

Posted on October 21, 2016

Since April 2015 Burundi has been in a state of political crisis precipitated by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term as president. As the crisis escalated, in July 2015 the East African Community appointed President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda to facilitate an inter-Burundi dialogue. The African Union and the United Nations later changed his role to mediator without informing him officially. This had the effect of muddling the process. Museveni understood his position as facilitator to entail a minimal role, whereas mediation would entail actively suggesting solutions to end the crisis. The confusion affected the peace process in the early days, as the parties to the crisis did not clearly understand his role. In March 2016 the EAC clarified the issue by officially appointing Museveni as mediator and former President of Tanzania Benjamin Mkapa as facilitator. But Museveni’s role in the crisis has been lacklustre for a number of reasons, such as the perception that he cannot be an honest broker, his lack of leverage on the warring parties and his being distracted by politics at home. At the end of May 2016 Mkapa organized a meeting in Tanzania to consult with stakeholders in the Burundi crisis, but the meeting collapsed because of boycotts and objections to the presence of some groups. 

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- Author Kasaija Phillip Apuuli

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