Burundi Government

What is the capital of Burundi?

Country Name Burundi
Full Country Name Republic of Burundi
Local - Long Republique du Burundi (French)/ Republika y'u Burundi (Kirundi)
Local - Short Burundi
Former Name Urundi, German East Africa, Ruanda-Urundi, Kingdom of Burundi
Etymology- history of name name derived from the pre-colonial Kingdom of Burundi (17th-19th century)
Government Type presidential republic
Capital Name Gitega (political capital), Bujumbura (commercial capital); note - in January 2019, the Burundian parliament voted to make Gitega the political capital of the country while Bujumbura would remain its economic capital; as of 2023, the government's move to Gitega remains incomplete
Capital - geographic coordinate 3 25 S, 29 55 E
Capital Time Difference UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
National Holiday Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution history: several previous, ratified by referendum 28 February 2005

amendments: proposed by the president of the republic after consultation with the government or by absolute majority support of the membership in both houses of Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Senate membership and at least four-fifths majority vote by the National Assembly; the president can opt to submit amendment bills to a referendum; constitutional articles including those on national unity, the secularity of Burundi, its democratic form of government, and its sovereignty cannot be amended; amended 2018 (amendments extended the presidential term from 5 to 7 years, reintroduced the position of prime minister, and reduced the number of vice presidents from 2 to 1)

Burundi Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Burundi Government and Politics

Who is the president of Burundi?

Executive Branch: chief of state: President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020); Vice President Prosper BAZOMBANZA (since 24 June 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020); Vice President Prosper BAZOMBANZA (since 24 June 2020); Prime Minister Gervais NDIRAKOBUCA (since 7 September 2022)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in May 2027); vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by Parliament; note - a 2018 constitutional referendum, effective for the 2020 election, increased the presidential term from 5 to 7 years with a 2-consecutive-term limit, reinstated the position of the prime minister position, and reduced the number of vice presidents from 2 to 1

election results:

2020: Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE elected president; percent of vote - Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (CNDD-FDD) 71.5%, Agathon RWASA (CNL) 25.2%, Gaston SINDIMWO (UPRONA) 1.7%, other 1.6%

2015: Pierre NKURUNZIZA reelected president; percent of vote - Pierre NKURUNZIZA (CNDD-FDD) 69.4%, Agathon RWASA (Hope of Burundians - Amizerio y'ABARUNDI) 19%, other 11.6%
Citizenship Criteria: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Burundi

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Legal System: mixed legal system of Belgian civil law and customary law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch: description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:

Senate or Inama Nkenguzamateka (39 seats in the July 2020 election); 36 members indirectly elected by an electoral college of provincial councils using a three-round voting system, which requires a two-thirds majority vote in the first two rounds and simple majority vote for the two leading candidates in the final round; 3 seats reserved for Twas, and 30% of all votes reserved for women; members serve 5-year terms)

National Assembly or Inama Nshingamateka (123 seats in the May 2020 election; 100 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 23 co-opted members; 60% of seats allocated to Hutus and 40% to Tutsis; 3 seats reserved for Twas; 30% of total seats reserved for women; members serve 5-year terms)

elections:

Senate - last held on 20 July 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

National Assembly - last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

election results:

Senate - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 87.2%, Twa 7.7%, CNL 2.6%, UPRONA 2.6%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 34, Twa 3, CNL 1, UPRONA 1; composition - men 23, women 16, percent of women 37.2%

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 70.9%, CNL 23.4%, UPRONA 2.5%, other (co-opted Twa) 3.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 86, CNL 32, Twa 3, UPRONA 2; composition - men 76, women 47, percent of women 38.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 38%
Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 9 judges and organized into judicial, administrative, and cassation chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 members)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial Service Commission, a 15-member body of judicial and legal profession officials), appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate and serve 6-year nonrenewable terms

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; County Courts; Courts of Residence; Martial Court; Commercial Court
Regions or States: 18 provinces

Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rural, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rumonge, Rutana, Ruyigi; note- a law was passed in March 2023 reducing the number of provinces to five: Buhumuza, Bujumbura, Burunga, Butanyerera, Gitega, with full implementation by 2025.
Political Parties and Leaders: Council for Democracy and the Sustainable Development of Burundi or CODEBU [Keffa NIBIZI]

Front for Democracy in Burundi-Sahwanya or FRODEBU-Sahwanya [Patrick NKURUNZIZA]

National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE]

National Congress for Liberty or CNL [Agathon RWASA]

National Liberation Forces or FNL [Jacques BIGIRIMANA]

Union for National Progress (Union pour le Progress Nationale) or UPRONA [Olivier NKURUNZIZA]
International Law Organization Participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; withdrew from ICCt in October 2017
International Organization Participation: ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, CEMAC, CEPGL, CICA, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICGLR, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic Representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Bosco BAREGE (since 11 January 2024); Chargé d'Affaires Geneviève NIZIGIYIMANA (since 3 October 2023)

chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574

FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

email address and website: burundiembusadc@gmail.com

https://burundiembassy-usa.com/index.php
Diplomatic Representation from US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Keith GILGES (since June 2022)

embassy: B.P. 1720, Avenue Des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura

mailing address: 2100 Bujumbura Place, Washington DC 20521-2100

telephone: [257] 22-207-000

email address and website:

BujumburaC@state.gov

https://bi.usembassy.gov/
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