BURUNDI COUP- A STATE SPONSORED COUP ATTEMPT?

The botched coup in Burundi could be an orchestrated event by the President, his cohorts within the military to ensure his continuous stay in power.

Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza (photo courtesy Google)

The streets of Bujumbura were filled with joy when a coup was announced by Gen. Godefroid Niyombare on national radio, overthrowing the president Pierre Nkurunziza. However, after two days of skirmishes between the coup plotters and soldiers loyal to the President, Pierre

Nkurunziza, who was on a trip to Tanzania is back in power.

Five of the coup plotters have been arrested with the chief plotter, Gen. Niyombare on the run. President Nkurunziza is expected to make an address to the Burundian people today.

The attempted coup was staged at a time when the opposition parties, civil society organisations and a cross-section of Burundians were protesting against the decision of the president, in April, to run for another term of office-his third- which was seen as a contravention of the Constitution’s Presidential term of office.

But, the president, who has ruled the country for a decade argues he is right to contest, pointing out that he was appointed by Parliament to the position of President in 2005 and not elected. An argument the country’s Constitutional Court upheld.

The coup failed because, the plotters didn’t have the full support of the Burundian Army. According to one of the arrested plotters, there were many within the army who wanted the regime to stay in power.

This botched coup brings up the question of whether the coup was really a coup to unseat Pierre Nkurunziza or a scheme to ensure he continues to stay in power and push his third term agenda thorough?

In my opinion, this attempted coup was staged by the President, his cohorts within the military to ensure his continuous stay in power. The agenda was simple: attempt a coup, throw the country into chaos, the army botch it, President comes to denounce coup makers, declare a State of Emergency until further notice.

Once this happens, he can silence dissenting voices and whip the opposition in line to accept his bid and the outcome of the elections would go in his favour-another five year term for the 51 year old former soldier.

Burundians celebrating the announcement of Nkurunziza's overthrow

President Nkurunziza’s rise to power came at the back of a bitter conflict following the killing of the Hutu President, Melchoir Naadaye.  Nkurunziza was sentenced to death in absentia for laying landmines in 1998 during the Burundian Civil War-a war between Hutus and Tutsis. But he was granted amnesty and was appointed to be the President.

It would be recalled that, the ex-president of Burkina Faso, Blaise Campraore, was forced out of office by his people of Burkina Faso when  Parliament approved a Constitutional Amendment that would have given him a third term in office-something the Constitution barred.

The opposition in Togo is also raising fears that the incumbent President, Faure Gyasingbe, might want to change the presidential terms to ensure he contest for another term.

Dictators and Rebels who assume the presidency of their countries after a conflict most often pretend to be democrats-they go through the periodic elections, grant a few rights to the people and hold tightly to the power. Once they are in-charge, they remain democratic.

Never trust a rebel leader/dictator who profess 2 be a democrat. They are when in power. Once power seems 2 slide away, the real them arises

— UNCLE ALHAJI (@swayekidd) May 15, 2015

Once the power is threatened by another force or they seem it slipping away, the dictatorial tendencies within them-which they had hidden-suddenly comes alive. They perform all schemes to hold on to power. The fear to lose power is something they won’t countenance.

Coups and counter coups, presidents overstaying their stay (in power) when their tenure is up is something that must not be tolerated in 21^st century Africa.  African leaders must realize the presidency is not their birth right or their property. They should rather invest energies in serving their tenure by improving the lives of their countrymen and bow when the applauds is loudest.