BUJUMBURA, December 4th (ABP) – The president of the lower house of parliament, Gélase Daniel Ndabirabe, on Monday 2 December 2024, in Bujumbura, solemnly opened the activities of the ordinary parliamentary session of December 2024, in accordance with article 179 of the Constitution of the Republic of Burundi.
In his opening remarks, Ndabirabe recalled that the MPs had taken advantage of the month-long parliamentary recess to listen to the concerns of their fellow citizens on various local and national issues. They also took the opportunity to sound out the best ways and means available to Burundi to meet the challenges of the current era, including achieving the vision of Burundi as an emerging country by 2040 and a developed country by 2060.
The elected representatives of the people also joined the Head of State, Evariste Ndayishimiye, and the whole nation in the activities of the 18th edition of the Caravan of the Torch of Peace, from the launch ceremonies on 9 November 2024 at the Urunani stadium in Cibitoke province to the closing ceremonies on 30 November 2024 at the Gatwaro stadium in Kayanza province, noted the President of the National Assembly (NA).
Recalling that the Caravan of the Torch of Peace was organised this year under the theme, ‘Burundians, let’s vote for the leaders who will guide us towards the realisation of the vision of a Burundi emerging in 2040 and developed in 2060,’ Ndabirabe was delighted to have taken part because, he explained, all along its route, the Caravan of the Torch of Peace spread a unifying message around projects of community interest, a message of peace and solidarity.
The President of the National Assembly said that he had continued his efforts to contribute to the construction of a stable, developed nation, aware of its history and indebted to its heroes.
To this end, Ndabirabe took part in the activities to commemorate the heroes of the struggle for peace and democracy in Burundi. The week dedicated to this patriotic duty was centered this year on the theme ‘The armed struggle is over, the fight for development continues; let’s stand up to it with vision 2040-2060,’ he recalled. He also pointed out that the First Vice-President of the National Assembly, Sabine Ntakarutimana, spent her holidays in Muyinga province, where she held talks with local authorities on social issues, local security, development and leadership.
In addition, Ntakarutimana took part in community development work to encourage the population to follow all stages of the current electoral process, to preserve peace and security and to avoid listening to rumours aimed at destabilising the country.
The second Depute Speaker of the National Assembly, Abel Gashatsi, spent his holidays in Muramvya province, where he took part in Teacher’s Day activities.
In terms of parliamentary diplomacy, the President of the National Assembly said that the second Vice-President of the National Assembly had taken part in the 18th meeting of the Bureau of Speakers of Parliaments of the East African Community (EAC), while delegations had also represented the National Assembly at the 8th EAC Young Leaders’ Summit, the 4th Ordinary Session of the 6th Pan-African Parliament, the 2nd Statutory Meeting of the Finance and Resource Mobilisation Committee of the FP-ICGLR and the 6th Parliamentary Dialogue on Security and Nutrition.
Ndabirabe pointed out that the ordinary parliamentary session of December 2024 will consider the 8 bills on the agenda, including the bill amending the law of 13 November 2020 on the general organisation of public administration, the bill on the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism, and the bill revising the law of 3 March 2016 on the reform of communal taxation in Burundi.
Given that the 2025 elections are fast approaching, the President of the National Assembly took the opportunity to encourage the defence and security forces, the administration, the judiciary and citizens to redouble their vigilance, while bearing in mind that the electoral process must go hand in hand with socio-economic development activities that will further stabilise the country.
He also revealed that the National Assembly was pleased with the presidential pardon granted to certain prisoners. ‘It is a strong gesture that forms part of the implementation of the Head of State’s promises, made at his inauguration in 2020, to red
uce prison overcrowding and ensure the conversion of penal servitude into community service,’ he pointed out.
With this in mind, the National Assembly calls on the beneficiaries of this presidential pardon to pull themselves together, to cut short any behaviour that may lead them to re-offend, to adopt the status of men and women of integrity within their communities, and to get down to work, carrying out development projects. The AN invite their host families to create the best conditions for their social reintegration.
The President of the National Assembly ended his speech by warmly encouraging the MPs who will represent the National Assembly at the 14th EAC Interparliamentary Games, scheduled to take place at the end of this week in Mombasa, in the Republic of Kenya.