Burundian opposition factions have called upon Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to appoint a new facilitator for the mediation efforts to end the country’s political crisis.
The opposition accused current facilitator Benjamin Mkapa, a former Tanzanian President, of supporting the Burundian government in the peace talks.
“CNARED is asking the mediator of the Burundi crisis, Yoweri Museveni, to enter into consultation with the other heads of state of the East African Community (EAC) to find a new facilitator,” it said in a statement late Thursday.
The opposition said Mkapa should stop taking part in the organization of further inter-Burundian dialogue.
Meanwhile, the bureau of facilitation is busy preparing for a new round of Burundi peace talks scheduled for January. Mkapa had earlier said that the solution to the Burundian crisis will be found in June 2017.
Burundi descended into violence in April 2015 after President Pierre Nkurunziza declared that he would run for a controversial third term in office, one which he went on to win in the July poll.
Since then, more than 1000 people have been killed with over 300,000 forced to flee their homes.
