Over six million Burundians headed to the polls on August 25 to conclude a series of elections for various representative bodies that began in June.
On this day, voters elected 3,044 chiefs of villages and neighborhoods (quartiers) across the country. Earlier rounds included the election of members of parliament and communal councilors in June, followed by senators in July. All were won by the ruling CNDD-FDD party in power for the past 20 years with a sweeping victory of nearly 100%, except for communal council seats where opposition parties managed to secure less than 2% of the vote.
It was the first time in two decades that CNDD-FDD claimed such a margin of victory, despite competing against more than 20 political parties. Both opposition groups and the Catholic Church raised concerns over irregularities during the process.
Unlike the earlier polls, elections for village and neighborhood leaders are not contested on party lines, as candidates run as individuals. However, many citizens interviewed by the BBC before voting said they expected little change, predicting that most winners would still come from the ruling party.
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Polling stations opened at 6:00 a.m. and closed at 3:00 p.m.
“They didn’t campaign, so we don’t know them”
In Bujumbura, the country’s economic capital, some voters admitted they were casting ballots for people they did not know because candidates had barely campaigned.
“As university students coming from upcountry, we don’t know the neighborhood well, so we might end up voting for a chef de quartier we’ve never even met,” said one student from the University of Burundi. She added: “I’ll just vote, but I don’t know who I’m choosing since I don’t know any of them.”
Despite this, residents recognize the crucial role of these local leaders in daily life.
“If you’re facing injustice, or you need something for your zone, you can’t bypass the village chief,” explained one resident of Bujumbura.
Another added: “They are the foundation of development. Progress starts from the bottom and rises upwards if it goes the other way, it fails.”
