Museveni to mediate Burundi talks

By Wesley Spartan

Kampala. President Museveni has been appointed to lead and facilitate the dialogue at the highest level in a bid to find a lasting solution to the current political situation in Burundi.

The President was appointed on Monday by the heads of state of the East African Community (EAC) during the third Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

The Summit also decided to postpone the Burundi presidential election from the earlier communicated date of July 15 to July 30 to allow Mr Museveni engage different political players in Burundi before the elections are held.

This was contained in a joint communiqué that was issued at the end of the one-day meeting of the Heads of State of the EAC countries.

The leaders also asked the government of Burundi to disarm all armed groups that are allied to political parties or groups in the country, adding that the African Union (AU) should oversee the disarmament process.

The Summit also resolved that whichever party wins the presidential elections in Burundi, should form a government of national unity to include those who would have participated and those who would not have taken part in the elections.

This would give a possibility of providing a special seat, where necessary, and that the East African community must send the election observers.

The summit, under the chair of Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, was attended by President Museveni and their counterparts of Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi was represented by their respective Ministers.

Last week, Mr Nkurunziza’s government held the parliamentary and local elections despite protests from Opposition parties, AU, United Nations and United States government.