BURUNDI: Influential politician Hussein Radjabu thrown out by ruling party, second Vice President Marine Barampama sacked over handling of suspected coup plot

Record ID: 453012

  • Title: BURUNDI: Influential politician Hussein Radjabu thrown out by ruling party, second Vice President Marine Barampama sacked over handling of suspected coup plot
  • Date: 12th February 2007
  • Summary: NGENDAKUMANA SHAKING HANDS WITH PRESIDENT NKURUNZIZA
  • Embargoed: 27th February 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Burundi
  • Country: Burundi
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA6QIZ6QP2EO3QKFATM7WBQK3UC
  • Story Text: Burundi's ruling party shakes up government and the party in an effort to rid it of members seen as discrediting the government's efforts to build a democracy.
    Burundi's ruling party replaced its hardline chairman with a man seen as a democrat on Wednesday (February 7) and on Friday (February 9) the government replaced its Vice President.
    The moves came after months of discontent at the government's human rights record and handling of a suspected coup plot.
    President Nkurunziza dismissed Second Vice President Marine Barampama on Thursday (February 8) accusing her of "insubordination and irresponsibility" and on Friday replaced her with the central bank governor.
    More than 1,000 members of the Hutu CNDD-FDD party on Wednesday attended a special meeting in the northern town of Ngozi to remove Hussein Radjabu from one of the most powerful jobs in the fledgling democracy.
    They voted to replace him with senior party member Jeremie Ngendakumana, a lecturer in his 40s.
    President Pierre Nkurunziza hailed the move, which many party members hope will boost the party's flagging popularity.
    "We came here to correct mistakes done in the past and think about ruling the country in the interests of the Burundian people," he said.
    Western and African diplomats attended the session, praised by one envoy who said it was an encouraging sign of dialogue and democracy within the party.
    Before his downfall, Radjabu wielded huge influence in Burundi through his control of the finance and intelligence arm of the former rebel group, experts say.
    The CNDD-FDD came under scrutiny after it said last year it had uncovered a plot to topple President Nkurunziza.
    The regime charged former President Domitien Ndayizeye and several others with plotting against it.
    Critics accused the party of fabricating the plot as a pretext to quash dissent.
    Radjabu publicly denounced the work of journalists in the country, causing several to flee the country following death threats.
    Radjabu did not attend the meeting and called it "illegal".
    Despite last month's acquittals of former president Domitien Ndayizeye and four others charged over the plot, analysts say the case has damaged Burundi's image.
    Emerging from more than a decade of ethnic civil war that killed an estimated 300,000 people, Burundi was viewed as an African success story when multi-party polls brought the CNDD-FDD to power in August 2005.
    But mounting allegations of corruption and human rights abuses have clouded that initial euphoria.
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