Principal Government Officials
President--Pierre Buyoya
First Vice President of the National Assembly--Frederic Bamvuginyumvira
Second Vice President of the National Assembly--Mathias Sinamenye
Speaker of the National Assembly--Leonce Ngendakumana
Minister of Defense--Cyrille Ndayirukiye
Minister of External Relations and Cooperation--Severin Ntahomvukiye
Minister of Internal Affairs and Security--Col. Ascension Twagiramungu
Ambassador to the United States--Thomas Ndikumana
Ambassador to the United Nations--Marc Nteturuye
Burundi maintains an embassy in the United States at Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007 (tel. 202-342-2574).
Country name:
conventional long form:
Republic of Burundi
conventional short form:
Burundi
local long form:
Republika y'u Burundi
local short form:
Burundi
Data code: BY
Government type: republic
Capital: Bujumbura
Administrative divisions:
15 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi
note:
there may be a new province named Mwaro
Independence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution: 13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural political system; supplanted on 6 June 1998 by a Transitional Constitution which enlarged the National Assembly and created two vice presidents
Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: Universal adult; elections under transitional regime not yet held.
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Pierre Buyoya (interim president since 27 September 1996, officially sworn in 11 June 1998), First Vice President Frederic Bamvuginyumvira (since NA May 1998), Second Vice President Mathias SINAMENYA (since NA May 1998); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Pierre Buyoya (interim president since 27 September 1996, officially sworn in 11 June 1998), First Vice President Frederic Bamvuginyumvira (since NA May 1998), Second Vice President Mathias SINAMENYA (since NA May 1998); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by president
elections:
NA; current president assumed power following a coup on 25 July 1996 in which former President NTIBANTUNGANYA was overthrown
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (121 seats; note - new Transitional Constitution expanded the number of seats from 81 to 121 in 1998; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in 1998, but suspended by presidential decree in 1996)
election results:
percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71.04%, UPRONA 21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16, various other parties 40
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Multi-party system introduced after 1998. FRODEBU (the Front for Democracy in Burundi, predominantly Hutu with some Tutsi membership)([Jean Minani]?, president]) and UPRONA (the National Unity and Progress Party, predominantly Tutsi with some Hutu membership) ([[Luc Rukingama], president]), are national, mainstream parties. Other Tutsi and Hutu opposition parties and groups include, among others, PARENA (the Party for National Redress, Tutsi), ABASA (the Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation, Tutsi), PRP (the People's Reconciliation Party, Tutsi), CNDD/FDD (the National Council for the Defense of Democracy/Front? for the Defense of Democracy, now consisting of two groups, Hutu), PALIPEHUTU (the Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People, Hutu) and FROLINA/FAP (the Front for the National Liberation of Burundi/Popular? Armed Forces, Hutu).
note:
opposition parties, legalized in March 1992, include Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA [leader NA]; Rally for Democracy and Economic and Social Development or RADDES [Cyrille SIGEJEJE, chairman]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]; Socialist Party of Burundi or PSB [leader NA]; People's Reconciliation Party or PRP [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Loosely organized Tutsi militias
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB?, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO?, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Thomas NDIKUMANA
chancery:
Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:
[1] (202) 342-2574
FAX:
[1] (202) 342-2578
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Mary Catlin YATES
embassy:
Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
mailing address:
B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
telephone:
[257] (2) 223454
FAX:
[257] (2) 222926
Flag description: divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below)