Burundi’s UPRONA weighs whether to contest next presidential election

Burundi’s Union for National Progress (UPRONA in french acronym), one of the country’s oldest political parties, has yet to decide whether it will participate in the next presidential election. Meeting on Saturday in Bujumbura, the party’s Central Committee tasked its Executive Bureau with assessing whether taking part in the upcoming vote would serve the party’s political interests.

The decision comes as the mandate of party president Olivier Nkurunziza and the entire Executive Bureau is set to expire on August 14. The Central Committee meeting was convened to review the leadership’s record and prepare for the party’s next congress, which must be held before that deadline.

According to Mr. Nkurunziza, discussions focused on the party’s internal organisation, political outlook, financial situation and the management of its assets.

The gathering was also marked by a move towards internal reconciliation. The Central Committee formally endorsed the reinstatement of members who had left the party following various internal disputes. They will now be eligible to participate in the forthcoming congress, a step the leadership described as part of an effort to strengthen unity ahead of key political milestones.

On the question of elections, UPRONA remains cautious. Party leaders say they intend to draw lessons from the 2025 polls before determining their strategy for the presidential race.

“The Central Committee has instructed the Executive Bureau to analyse the situation and determine whether it is in the party’s interest to participate in the elections,” Mr. Nkurunziza said.

With the electoral process expected to enter a crucial phase from November, UPRONA is keeping its options open as Burundi’s political parties position themselves for the country’s next major electoral test.