Abayomi Azikiwe, PANW Editor, Featured on Press TV World News: 'Burundi in For More Instability'
Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:12AM
presstv.ir
To watch this interview just click on the website below:
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/06/29/417995/Burundi-African-Union-presidential-election-Abayomi-Azikiwe
Press TV has conducted an interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, an editor for the Pan-African News Wire from Detroit, to ask for his insight on the African Union (AU)’s stance toward presidential elections in Burundi.
The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV: By not sending its observers, isn’t the AU putting the credibility of this vote in question from the get-go?
Azikiwe: Most definitely, and I think there’s a big controversy that’s going on, surrounding these elections not only internally but also on a regional and international level.
The AU had opposed the attempted coup that was carried out several weeks ago. They in fact have been attempting to mediate between the opposition parties and the ruling party in Burundi. However, these negotiations have failed.
Now, with the Speaker of Parliament Mr. Pie Ntavyohanyuma, who has apparently fled into exile along with the Second Vice President Gervais Rufyikiri, it indicates that there are internal problems within the government itself.
So, it would be very difficult for the AU to actually send monitors and sign off on this election when there’s so much opposition.
Press TV: So, you would say there’s still the potential of things getting worse on the ground in Burundi and after this election if things don’t go peacefully or according to plan, there is the chance of violence, breaking out again.
Azikiwe: Yes, just overnight there were three people reportedly killed in clashes with the police. The demonstrations are continuing. There’s also been attacks on voting booths and also officials of the electoral commission over the last several days.
And if the African Union refuses to send observers and with the defections of the speaker of the parliament as well as the second vice president, then this will fuel the opposition. And it will also increase the tensions inside the country. So, I think, the country is in for more unrest and instability over the next few days.
presstv.ir
To watch this interview just click on the website below:
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/06/29/417995/Burundi-African-Union-presidential-election-Abayomi-Azikiwe
Press TV has conducted an interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, an editor for the Pan-African News Wire from Detroit, to ask for his insight on the African Union (AU)’s stance toward presidential elections in Burundi.
The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV: By not sending its observers, isn’t the AU putting the credibility of this vote in question from the get-go?
Azikiwe: Most definitely, and I think there’s a big controversy that’s going on, surrounding these elections not only internally but also on a regional and international level.
The AU had opposed the attempted coup that was carried out several weeks ago. They in fact have been attempting to mediate between the opposition parties and the ruling party in Burundi. However, these negotiations have failed.
Now, with the Speaker of Parliament Mr. Pie Ntavyohanyuma, who has apparently fled into exile along with the Second Vice President Gervais Rufyikiri, it indicates that there are internal problems within the government itself.
So, it would be very difficult for the AU to actually send monitors and sign off on this election when there’s so much opposition.
Press TV: So, you would say there’s still the potential of things getting worse on the ground in Burundi and after this election if things don’t go peacefully or according to plan, there is the chance of violence, breaking out again.
Azikiwe: Yes, just overnight there were three people reportedly killed in clashes with the police. The demonstrations are continuing. There’s also been attacks on voting booths and also officials of the electoral commission over the last several days.
And if the African Union refuses to send observers and with the defections of the speaker of the parliament as well as the second vice president, then this will fuel the opposition. And it will also increase the tensions inside the country. So, I think, the country is in for more unrest and instability over the next few days.
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