Burundians vote to elect lawmakers and local leaders

Burundi held legislative and local elections on Thursday, 5 June 2025. More than six million registered voters cast ballots to elect members of parliament and communal councilors.

According to the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI), 14,156 polling stations were established nationwide and abroad. This includes 14,103 stations across the country and 53 stations opened in the diaspora and peacekeeping missions, serving 6,013,498 registered voters.

At several polling stations visited early Thursday, long queues of voters had already formed — a sign of civic engagement, even as the country faces worsening economic conditions.

The vote comes during a deepening socio-economic crisis marked by fuel shortages, soaring inflation, and scarcities in basic goods such as sugar and foreign currency.

"They should stay close to us to understand our problems because we are voting for them, hoping they will help us," said Sylvana Nizigiyimana, a voter from Giheta.

Fuel shortages were on everyone's mind. Joséphine Inabigega, a native of Gitega, believes resolving the issue must be a priority for the new leaders.

Many voters expressed hope that new leaders would prioritize urgent national concerns.

"They must find us fuel because when it's available, we can move around, and the country functions better. We ask them to do everything possible to solve this fuel issue," said Joséphine Inabigega, a voter.

President Evariste Ndayishimiye also participated by voting at a school in his home village. He emphasized the patriotic duty of voting and called on elected officials to serve the nation faithfully.

"Burundians are usually proud to vote; they enjoy it — it's patriotic. Anyone who doesn't like elections doesn't wish for a good future for the country. The winners must work for the good of everyone," said President Ndayishimiye.

This election marks the beginning of a new administrative structure, with Burundi now reorganized into five provinces and 42 communes. As a result, the number of parliamentary seats will decrease from 123 to 103 in the next legislature.

Agathon Rwasa, a prominent opposition leader, and his allies are absent from the process. Rwasa was ousted from his party's leadership, the National Congress for Freedom (CNL), and excluded from voting.