BUJUMBURA – Authorities in Burundi have arrested Melchiade Nzopfabarushe, a top member of the ruling party of CNDD FDD, after encouraging supporters of President Pierre Nkurunziza to throw political opponents into a lake, a local human rights activist told SoftPower News on Monday.
Nzopfabarushe’s comments were made on Sunday, in Kabezi, near the capital Bujumbura where he was addressing supporters of the ruling party ahead of a referendum on extending President Nkurunziza’s term in office.
Human Rights Watch said this month, Burundi’s government forces and ruling party members have allegedly beaten and killed perceived opponents, citing what it called “widespread impunity” for local authorities and their allies.
The report said state agents and members of Imbonerakure, have used repression to ensure the vote goes in the President’s favor. Some members of the opposition have allegedly been beaten to death, the group said.
The referendum, criticized by opponents of Nkurunziza as a plot to allow him rule for life is scheduled to take place on May 17 amidst a climate of fear.
“The arrest of Nzopfabarushe does not make sense. His Seniors who directed him to make hateful speech should be the ones to get punished first,” Vital Nshimirimana, a Burundian human rights activist told SoftPower News by phone.
Members of the opposition in Burundi say the referendum on changes to the Constitution that could keep Nkurunziza in power until 2034 could lead to more unrest in the East African country.
Nzopfabarushe said in a video clip, which has been circulating online that the ruling party has ordered boats. “We will send the opponets into the Lake Tanganyika,” he said.
Following his comments, party officials reacted angrily and disassociated themselves from him, saying the party can not approve such divisive language aimed at dividing Burundians.
The online activist group iBurundi, with over 18,000 followers on Twitter, said on Monday that Nzopfabarushe appeared in a Burundian court same day and was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment without proper trial.
Last year, Burundians expressed outrage over an online video that showed pro-government youth militia known as Imbonerakure teaching young students songs comparing the opposition to lice.
The video of Imbonerakure followed another video in which the militia encouraged rape and impregnating of opposition supporters.
Burundian lawyer and activist, Lambert Nigarura said the imprisonment of Nzopfabarushe meant to serve for a propaganda strategy to portray the ruling party as accommodative yet they have never punished Imbonerakure members who have allegedly killed hundreds of Burundians for protesting against Nkurunziza’s third term.
At least 1,200 people were killed and more than 400,000 fled the country following the violence sparked by Nkurunziza’s decision in 2015 to run for a third term.
Nkurunziza’s current term expires in 2020. He came to power in 2005 after a peace deal ended a decade of civil war between the Tutsi-dominated army and Hutu rebels, in which 300,000 people were killed.