Schools in Burundi accused of pressuring underage pupils to register for the 2027 presidential election

Officials from several secondary schools in the port town of Rumonge, in Burunga province, southwestern Burundi, are accused of pressuring pupils to register to vote in the 2027 presidential election. According to local sources, some pupils were taken to registration offices, while classes were reportedly suspended at some schools to allow them to gather the required documents.
The operation took place from Monday, October 26, to Wednesday, October 28. It reportedly targeted pupils born in 2008 and 2009, some of whom were under 18 at the time of registration.
Pupils sent to registration offices
According to local sources, in some schools, national identity card numbers were reportedly given to pupils without the corresponding cards being issued to them beforehand. These numbers allegedly allowed them to register to vote without presenting the physical documents.
In other schools, classes were reportedly suspended to allow pupils to collect the necessary documents for their registration. Pupils from some private schools were also reportedly sent by their principals to the nearest registration offices.
Offices had been set up on the grounds of some schools or nearby. According to sources close to school officials, the national identity cards of the pupils concerned were expected to be distributed to them later.
Each pupil was also reportedly asked to bring 1,000 Burundian francs to purchase a registration form, as well as a passport photo.
School officials, described by local sources as members of the ruling party, the CNDD-FDD, reportedly collaborated with the civil registry to facilitate the operation.
These practices raise questions about compliance with legal requirements for voter registration, particularly regarding the age of future voters and the verification of their identity. Born in 2008 and 2009, some pupils were not yet 18 years old in October 2026. Their eligibility to vote will depend, in particular, on their age on the date of the 2027 election.
Returnees also affected
According to registration agents contacted, the operation also concerns people returning from exile. These individuals may present various documents to prove their identity, including national identity cards, baptismal certificates, birth certificates, passports, or driver's licenses.
These procedures raise concerns about verifying the identity and nationality of registered voters. The district of Rumonge is home to many Congolese nationals, some of whom have resided there for a long time, while others arrived following the escalation of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
It remains to be determined, however, whether these individuals meet the legal requirements to participate in the Burundian elections.
Three days granted for new registrations
In parallel with these operations, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) granted three days to individuals not registered on the 2025 electoral lists to register.
The commission also posted the lists of registered voters for 2025 to allow everyone to verify their name and report any data entry errors. This step was intended to help correct errors before the final lists were established.
Ndayishimiye running for re-election
The presidential election is scheduled for May 3, 2027, according to the timetable announced by the CENI (Independent National Electoral Commission). In the event of a second round, it is set for June 1. Évariste Ndayishimiye was designated on April 26, 2026, by the extraordinary congress of the CNDD-FDD (National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Forces for the Defense of Democracy) as the ruling party's candidate for another term.
However, the possibility of a second round seems unlikely given that no other candidate or competing political party is truly visible on the ground, several months before the election. This apparent lack of competition comes in a country where the CNDD-FDD, a former Hutu-dominated rebellion that came to power in 2005 following the peace process initiated by the Arusha Agreement of August 2000, holds a dominant position in institutions and political life.
The party is regularly accused by its opponents of operating as a state party and maintaining a permanent political mobilization, well beyond election periods. Its secretary-general, Révérien Ndikuriyo, has repeatedly called on Burundians to join the CNDD-FDD, presenting it as the only party to which everyone should belong. He has also stated that the next election campaign begins as soon as the previous one ends.
The 2027 presidential election will thus be the first presidential election held separately from the legislative elections, in accordance with the framework established by the 2018 Constitution.