| Gervais Rufyikiri ( M) |
| Aloys Kayanzari ( M) |
- 34 indirectly elected members
- 3 Twas
- 4 former presidents
- additional members can be co-opted to ensure respect for an equal distribution of seats among Hutus and Tutsis and the 30% quota for women
B.P. 814
BUJUMBURA
Tel.: (257) 22 24 51 17
Fax: (257) 22 24 51 14
E-mail: senat@senat.bi
celcomsenat@yahoo.fr
| http://www.senat.bi/ |
1994-1996
1999 -
- each of the 17 provinces has 2 representatives;
- in each province, the 2 representatives must come from different ethnic communities and therefore are chosen separately through indirect election.
- first two rounds require a super-majority (two-thirds of the votes) for a candidate to be elected;
- the third round is organized for the two leading candidates, and is won by a relative majority.
Voting is not compulsory.
- age: 18 years old or over on election day;
- residence in the country on the qualifying date;
- senators are elected by members of electoral colleges composed of members of the local councils of the province in question.
Overseas voters may vote at embassies and consulates.
Disqualifications for voting:
- any imprisonment (the disqualification is valid for one to three years thereafter);
- insanity/mental illness;
- guardianship/ward;
- holders of temporary entry permits;
- prohibited immigrants.
- age: 35 years old or over on election day
- candidates must have full civil and political rights;
- candidates must be resident in Burundi when candidacies are put forward;
- candidates must be natives or citizens of the province in question.
- remunerated members of the civil service
- persons holding posts for foreign States or for international organizations
- executives and officers of the Electoral Commission
- officers of the Electoral Commission
The incompatibilities above are valid during the term of office.
Other incompatibilities:
- insanity/mental illness
- guardianship/ward
- holders of temporary entry permits
- illegal immigrants
- deposit is not reimbursed;
- nomination of a registered political party;
- the candidacy must be put forward in only one election district.
Also available:
Archive of past election results for this chamber
The assassination of President Ndadaye on 21 October 1993 triggered years of ethnic violence, during which an estimated 300,000 people were killed.
A peace deal was brokered in Arusha on 28 August 2000 by former South African president, Nelson Mandela. The Arusha agreement provided for a bicameral transitional parliament which consisted of a National Assembly and a Senate. A new constitution was approved by referendum in February 2005. Under this constitution, 60 per cent of the seats in the National Assembly are reserved for members of the Hutu ethnic group and 40 per cent for Tutsis, which respectively make up 85 and 14 per cent of the population of 7 million people. A further three seats are reserved for the Twa ethnic group. Senate seats are shared equally between Hutus and Tutsis. A quota of 30 per cent of seats is reserved for women in both chambers.
After numerous delays, elections for the National Assembly were held on 4 July 2005. In order to respect ethnic and gender balance, for every three names in sequence on a party list, only two could belong to the same ethnic group; and for each five names at least one had to be a woman.
In the run-up to the elections, the former Hutu rebel group, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), which had fought against the Tutsi-led army, were well-placed, having secured about 55 per cent of seats in the local elections held in June 2005. Other major parties included Frodebu, led by the incumbent President Domitien Ndayizeye, and the Tutsi-dominated Union for National Progress (Uprona).
Turnout was recorded at around 65 per cent, lower than expected, mainly due to fears that the rebel National Forces for Liberation (FNL), the last active Hutu rebel group, would attack polling stations. The FNL had been responsible for a series of attacks during the recent local elections. A total of 2,700 United Nations troops, local police and soldiers were deployed at polling stations, and the election went off in relative peace. The United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) said there were no complaints of intimidation and reports of fraud, if substantiated, would not affect the overall results.
Final results confirmed a CNDD-FDD victory with 59 seats. The Frodebu obtained 25 seats, while the Uprona won 10 seats. A total of 65 Hutus and 35 Tutsis were elected, of whom 24 were women. In order to ensure the 60-40 ethnic split and 30 per cent quota for women, a further 18 members, including the three Twa representatives provided for under the Constitution, were co-opted after the elections, bringing the total to 69 Hutus and 46 Tutsis. In all, 12 women, - three Hutus, eight Tutsis and one Twa, - were co-opted.
After the preliminary results were released, President Ndayizeye said he would hand over power once the National Assembly and the Senate elected a new president. The UPRONA also announced that it would accept the results.
Indirect elections for 34 seats in the Senate were held in local councils on 29 July 2005. The CNDD-FDD won 30, the Frodebu obtained two, and the last seat went to the National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD). Eight women were elected. In order to respect the required 50-50 ethnic split, the 30 per cent quota for women, and three seats reserved for Twas, 11 members were co-opted. In addition to the 45 members, four former presidents - Domitien Ndayizeye, Sylvestre Ntibantunganya, Jean-Baptiste Bagaza and Pierre Buyoya - are members of the Senate, bringing the total number to 49.
On 16 August 2005, the National Assembly elected Ms. Immaculée Nahayo of the CNDD-FDD as speaker. She thus became the first woman ever to hold the position in Burundi. On 16 August, the Senate elected Mr. Gervais Rufyikiri of the CNDD-FDD as its Speaker.
On 19 August 2005, a joint session of both Houses elected Mr. Pierre Nkurunziza of the CNDD-FDD, the only candidate, as the country's new president. He was sworn in on 26 August 2005, officially ending the transition period in Burundi.
| Round no 1 (29 July 2005): Election results | ||||
| 3,225 deputies of local councils were called to chose 34 of 49 Senators among 119 candidates. | ||||
| Number of registered electors | 3'225 | |||
| Voters | 2'161 (67.01%) | |||
| Blank or invalid ballot papers | 1'064 | |||
| Valid votes | 1'097 | |||
| Round no 1: Distribution of votes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political Group | Candidates | Votes | % of votes | |||||||||||||||||||||
| National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Round no 1: Distribution of seats | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political Group | Total of seats | Indirectly elected | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) | 30 | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU) | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD) | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 women were indirectly elected. Nine others were co-opted.
| 31 to 40 years | 7 |
| 41 to 50 years | 27 |
| 51 to 60 years | 13 |
| 61 to 70 years | 2 |
| Educators | 29 | |
| Engineers/PC experts | 4 | |
| Others | 4 | |
| Economists | 2 | |
| Legal professions | 2 | |
| Scientists | 2 | |
| Liberal professions (including artists, authors) and sports professionals | 2 | |
| Military/police officers | 2 |
Reasons for interruption of the term:
Resignation, death, physical incapacity, permanent disability, absence without justification for more than one quarter of the meetings in a session
- Any senator can be a candidate; the candidature is deposited in a sealed envelope at the Senate Secretariat and given to the presiding officer before the opening of the vote.
- The oldest senator proclaims the results
- The results cannot be challenged
- third in the State hierarchy (after the President of the Republic and the President of the National Assembly)
- is replaced by one of the two Vice-Presidents in his / her absence.
2) The Enlarged Board consists of the President, two Vice-Presidents and four standing committee presidents.
3) The Board meets on the President's initiative at variable intervals.
Some of the Board's powers are collegial in character; the rest are the personal responsibility of the President.
- Official residence
- Official car and drivers
- Administrative staff
- Security detail
- Refers texts to committee for review
- Examines the admissibility of bills
- Can set up a joint committee on amendments
- Can call to order, adjourn and close meetings
- Ensures respect for constitutional and regulatory provisions
- Reads the announcements concerning the Senate
- Can check the quorum and the records of debates
- Validates the texts adopted and records of debates
- Has discretionary authority to give the floor to someone not speaking on an item of the agenda and to organize impromptu debates
2. Puts forward the name of the Secretary General, who is appointed by the Board
3. Is in charge of security and can therefore call in the forces of law and order in the event of a disturbance within the Senate
- Can intervene in parliamentary review proceedings to ensure respect for the regulations
- Must be consulted by the President of the Republic in certain circumstances
- Can raise oral or written questions
- Tables bills or amendments
- At its first session, the Senate adopts its rules of procedure, which determine how it is organized and functions. It also elects the Board. The first session convenes as soon as the election has been finalized by the Constitutional Court. It is presided by the oldest senator.
The President of the Senate is competent to accept the resignation of senators.
Within the Senate:
1. The Board
2. Former heads of State
3. Presidents of standing committees
4. Senators
5. Parliamentary administrators
- Basic indemnity
- Accommodation allowance
- Official allowance
- Tax-exempt status
- Travel allowance
2) Senators may be arrested when parliament is not in session only if they have been caught in flagrante delicto, their prosecution has already been authorized or they have been convicted and exhausted all avenues of appeal.
Senators may miss sittings for the following reasons:
- if they have been entrusted with a temporary mission by the Government or the Senate
- if excused by the Board for reasons of force majeure
- Informal disciplinary action noted in the records
- Temporary exclusion
- Electoral Code
- Constitution of the Republic of Burundi
Also available:
Archive of past election results for this chamber
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