Amb. Pierre Claver Ndayicariye lectures Cndd-Fdd officials on 10 deadly sins every good leader should avoid, (or repent???)
RegionWeek Newsletter Vol VII, Issue #225 | Friday, January 6, 2023
Dear RegionWeek Reader,
The National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy, (Cndd-Fdd in french acronym), the ruling party in Burundi since 2005, this week organized a retreat in Kayanza( northern Burundi). Party Leaders were trained on various topics that include the history of Burundi, leadership, and ways to build transformed communities.
Among the speakers were Amb. Pierre Claver Ndayicariye the current President of Burundi’s Truth and reconciliation commission, a man with a particular eloquence dubbed with a pertinent diplomatic approach. He gave a lecture that went immediately viral, commentators highlighted how timely his message was, but above all how he spoke truth to the right audience.
Why it matters:
In Burundi many crimes were committed. State fragility in Burundi has been a cause, and consequence, of the country’s political instability. Burundi has endured six episodes of civil war, two major foiled coup d’états, and five coup d’états that have led to regime change. The root cause of state fragility is traced back to divisive practices introduced by the colonial power, which have since been perpetuated by post-colonial elites. This political volatility has generated persistent cycles ofviolence, resulting in the collapse of the country’s institutions and economy, even after the negotiation of the Arusha Agreement.
The twelve sins, a lecture by Amb. Ndayicariye (12 Signs of Bad Governance)
1. Killing the citizens: Killing the citizens you lead or who voted for you is the first sin that curses the government and its leaders. In these years, the world has such fast information exchange technology that it is impossible to hide the massacre that happened in Cendajuru (North of Burundi). This is no longer possible. Killing the citizens you rule is the shortest way to destroy a country. Look at what is happening in the world, you will also see images that will show you what bad governance is, said Amb. Pierre Claver while introducing his lecture.
2. Rob citizens, take the wealth citizens have sought: Citizens are judges who watch, and say very little, especially if the government has chosen to do them injustice. To steal from citizens is to dishonor oneself. To rob what they have worked for t is a burden and a curse for a thief. The role of government is to protect citizens everywhere. The wealth that comes from stealing can’t last, the president of CVR warned.
3. Preventing citizens from speaking out: Bad governance prevents the people from saying what they want or what is wrong with the country. Citizens have their demands and what they want the leaders of the country to do for them. Giving them a voice reduces the lamentations. “You who lead the party, try to give voice to the citizens so that you know their problems, what they appreciate, their wishes and those who threaten them in the province, in the commune and in their hills. What I can confirm here in front of you is that a lot of leaders don't like to accept things that aren't going well.” Amb. Ndayicariye emphasized
4. Stealing our homeland: Poor governance steals state and nation assets, distracts and causes poverty in the country. Robbing a farmer or a trader is called robbing the country. To steal land or any other property is to steal the country. This is blocking their source. Citizens or economic operators are the ones who pay the taxes. Taking ore from one country and fraudulently selling it abroad is theft. In countries where democracy reigns, in countries that treat and protect citizens well, they have already understood that taxes and duties are the source of wealth that makes the country develop. A country develops when its citizens are developed, when they are respected everywhere. In a word, the wealth of the country is the wealth brought by the citizens. You can't have a rich country without rich citizens.
5. Serve the country as an “mercenary”: Patriotism is not in words. Patriotism is doing actions that honor our country, words that give respect to the country. These are behaviors that make foreigners respect our country. Bad governance sells the country without knowing it, leaving it bought by foreigners. Bad governance destroys the country, and acts as a passenger.
Enemies help outsiders to trap institutions. When you see a minister, deputy or general bought by no more than 6 million Burundian francs when we know that he took the oath while holding the national flag at the congress palace in Kigobe (National Assembly of Burundi), it is a shame.
6. Sowing divisions in the country and in the hearts of citizens: In our country, we have experienced all the problems. Bad governance has led us into ethnic, regional, tribal and religious divisions. Burundi is known for its ethnic differences: Hutu, Tutsi and Batwa. Ethnic differences are not only in Burundi, but we are among those who commit crimes because of ethnic differences.
Where there is bad governance, there is no vision of reconciliation. Division creates tragic death. “What I believe without a doubt is that the government that sows division is the one that digs its own grave. In a conversation like this, it is a question of telling the truth,.”
“You politicians always remember that votes in elections come from Hutu, Tutsi and Batwa. If you only have Batwa in your party, you will have fewer votes, if you only have Tutsi in your party, you will have their votes, if you only have Hutus in your party, it will be the same .” Amb. Pierre Claver demonstrated.
7. Ignorance of the times, lack of vision, despising others: There is a big problem in Burundi. The government does not teach that where we are today there are other people and that Tomorrow in our position there will be others. We need to consider brothers and sisters whom we have defeated in the election, and whom we do not give them the place which benefits them.
8. Violation of human rights: There are countries that exaggerate the violation of human rights, but because there is a lot of nonsense in the world, not all wrongdoing is seen the same way . Bad governance is spread around the world because it does not respect human rights. What has become more difficult today is that respect for human rights has become the norm that makes a country good or bad, loved or hated. In this difficult campaign between the countries that make up the planet, there are countries that are frowned upon compared to others. Burundi is among these countries.
In Burundi, this crime of violating human rights is like an original sin. Even if the woman falls down in Rumonge (south of burundi), there are already foreigners who will publish announcements that the State of Burundi is killing the people. I have to tell you that a lot of foreigners don't like the best parties (the majority parties), they like the weak parties. Institutions or organizations that produce a lot are not appreciated by enemies. The fight for respect for human rights must continue because there are many enemies in the region, in the world and within the country.
9.Lack of path to development and thinking that peace and security prevail in the country: Economists like to say that we have a lot of resources for development. Bad governance lacks vision, multiplying words but not actions. Today, there is what Burundians observe with their own eyes. We have rain, we have sunshine, we have rivers, streams and beautiful mountains. If the government works well, in 10 or 20 years we will have electricity all over the country thanks to the rays of the sun on the wind and on the dams. Wealth sleeps in the dark like nickel and everything needs more electricity. Development requires vision.
10. Not advancing, the rejection of development: Eliminating young people who should help development. Always asking for help when you don't give, this kind of mentality shows there is a need to be aware of what the leaders of the countries and the world think, what they need or what they manage in our country. Leaders should avoid having fun to the point their forget about his duties for a country.
Thanks for reading,
Fabrice Iranzi, Editor in Chief, RegionWeek
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