The constitutional court of Burundi has rejected an opposition challenge demanding to reverse the results of the country’s presidential election, addressing the governing party’s candidate Evariste Ndayishimiye the winner.
On Thursday the board of judges declared that poll fraud complaints by main opposition leader Agathon Rwasa were “null and void”, making Ndayishimiye’s victory with 68 per cent of the May 20 vote, as said by the election commission.
Provisional results had given him 24 per cent but his share of the vote decreased further in the final results to 22.42 per cent.
The opposition was charged with following the governing CNDD-FDD party’s orders – said Rwasa’s National Freedom Council (CNL) failed to provide satisfying proof of its claims as said by the constitutional court.
52 years old, Ndayishimiye, a former army general who was chosen by senior CNDD-FDD authorities to succeed longtime President Pierre Nkurunziza, will be vowed in August for a seven-year mandate.
Data source: Ministry of Burundi
