Part III: How much will it cost President Ndayishimiye to have a successful mandate by 2027?
Special Edition
Dear Readers welcome to part III of our Special Edition,
Once upon a time, a very talented songwriter named Jeremy Riddle, wrote in his lyrics that “every dream has a process and a price tag. Those who embrace the process and pay the price, live the dream. Those who don't, just dream.” You may agree with him or not, but today as Burundians celebrate one year after they elected President Evariste Ndayishimiye, I invite you to discuss Burundian dreams and political goals that we have heard over and over again. Leaders come and go and the slogans tend to remain the same.
What would be the cost have a sustainable change?
In 2020, President Evariste Ndayishimiye after forming his current cabinet announced a priority program in six points that revealed the focus of his mandate (Good governance, Public Health, Agriculture, Youth Employment, Social Protection, Peace and Reconciliation). Beyond political campaign promises, commentators saw yet another leader with beautiful words, and the question remained “will he deliver?”. The answer to that question can only be given in 2027, but today let's examine the real cost of his promises and goals.
If you missed part I and II, you can read them for free via this link
5.Social Protection
It was a great idea to have social protection among priorities. Burundi urgently needs measures to provide adequate housing and nutrition, ensure access to education and health and promote social inclusion and political stability.
Poverty, inequality, vulnerability, and exclusion are significant challenges facing a large proportion of the African population. It is increasingly recognized that social protection has substantial potential to address these issues. A recent definition that attempts to incorporate these various challenges was proposed by the 2010 European Report on „Social Protection for Inclusive Development‟:
“A specific set of actions to address the vulnerability of people’s lives through social insurance, offering protection against risk and adversity throughout life; through social assistance, offering payments and in-kind transfers to support and enable the poor; and through inclusion efforts that enhance the capability of the marginalized to access social insurance and assistance.”
The adoption of the National Protection Policy social in 2011 confirmed the will of the Government of Burundi to work for the well-being of Burundian citizens. The objective of this Policy is to gradually ensure adequate social protection coverage for all Burundians, allowing them to access health care, education, and replacement income during periods of contingency or risk. "
In December 2020 delivering the speech at the 6th General Assembly of the National Commission for Social Protection (CNPS), President Evariste Ndayishimiye reiterated the will of the Government of Burundi to work for the popularization of social protection to the greatest number of Burundians: and called the public agencies specializing in social protection such as the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) , the Public Service Mutual (MFP), and the National Pensions and Risks Office (ONPR), to improve and adapt to the circumstances and requirements of the moment.
He noted that more than 90% of the Burundian population is not insured in terms of health. To remedy this situation, some partners are trying to promote community health mutualities, but unfortunately, many households do not join them, unless they are forced to do so. However, the Government is not slacking off - he said
One of the recent initiatives of the social security sector is a decree on the subsidy of healthcare for State personnel retired for the age limit signed in September 2020. From now on, all pathologies in this category will be supported in public and similar healthcare structures and will be subsidized at 100% of the user fee. It was President Ndayishimiye's campaign promise.
To promote social protection in years to come, the expensive cost will be first of all to strengthen appropriate mechanisms for delivery of social protection initiatives. Here experts mention that in the context of Burundi suggest the implementation of community development project instruments, which can work directly with communities to ensure that projects are sustainable and respond to priority needs.
It will require the Government to increase public expenditure on social protection, encourage greater private sector funding, and improve the coordination between Government funding and funding from development partners.
To ensure a minimum level of sustainability for social protection initiatives that already exist the price to be paid will be to effectively monitor the source and the use of funds. In other words, ensuring that any gains in social protection are not immediately eroded by escalating inflation, and ensuring that sufficient current expenditures are allocated to the social sectors to protect investment in infrastructure rehabilitation.
6.Peace and Reconciliation
If there is something left to be said about Burundi’s Peace and Reconciliation, it is the establishment of transitional justice mechanisms in Burundi rooted in peace agreements signed between 2000 and 2006, which put to an end roughly 15 years of civil war that began after a failed transition to democracy in 1993.
In his address to the nation on 1 January, late Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza announced that 2012 would be marked by the creation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC, or CVR in French acronym).
While the UN has suggested including foreign commissioners in order to enhance the TRC's perceived independence, shortly after the Burundian government announced the establishment of a strictly national TRC, clearly finding inspiration in the Arusha Agreement.
In January 2021, the current head of CVR, Amb. Pierre Claver Ndayicariye told MPs that the commission found over 13,000 human remains in mass graves. 8 Mass graves were discovered in Karusi Province, 11 in Gitega Province, 34 in Makamba Province, and 16 in Rumonge Province, while 7 mass graves were discovered in Ngozi Province.
The report is made up of 6 books, including a core that traces the origins of the serious and massive violations of human rights in 1972, the role of the State and its institutions, the provisional number of victims, and testimony and hearings already made. The other 5 books are collections of photos of the communal graves, excavated remains, and witnesses.
The proposed truth-telling mandate of the TRC is fairly ambitious and hard, President Nkurunziza several times referred to it as ‘the final phase of the country’s peace process. The Price to be paid to have this final phase successful will be for President Ndayismiye to take measures that lead to all victim recognition and to a more shared understanding of Burundi's history.
But the great challenge will be for President Ndayishimiye, to define terms of accountability of those most responsible for past abuses. Will there be reparation?
To the Government of Burundi, Ambassador NDAYICARIYE proposed to initiate a law to clear victims of charges, to organize national mourning for all those who were killed during those massacres, and to ask forgiveness from the victims who were brutally massacred by the State organs, etc.
-END Part 3-
Thanks for reading!
Fabrice Iranzi, Editor in Chief | RegionWeek.com
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