BUJUMBURA, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Burundi's ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party has won all 10 seats in the Senate following senatorial elections held on Wednesday, the country's electoral commission said here on Friday.
"The CNDD-FDD party won all 10 seats in the Senate for the next 2025-2030 tenure. According to the national constitution and the electoral code, three persons from the Batwa minority group have also been co-opted to form an upper chamber of 13 senators," Prosper Ntahorwamiye, chairperson of the Burundian National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI), said during the publication of provisional results of the July 23 senatorial elections held at provincial town centers.
Various electoral partners, including representatives of political parties, candidates to the senatorial elections, diplomats accredited to Burundi, and members of civil society, attended the meeting.
According to Ntahorwamiye, each of the five provinces in the East African country was entitled to two senators -- in most cases, a man and a woman.
Ntahorwamiye said 1,053 out of 1,054 district councilors elected on June 5 participated in the vote, representing a turnout of 99.91 percent. The CNDD-FDD won the elections with 99.72 percent of the votes from Hutu senators and 99.62 percent of the votes from Tutsi senators.
"Ethnic and gender balances were respected, that is, 50 percent of Hutu senators and 50 percent Tutsi senators, and at least 30 percent of women senators provided in the national constitution and the electoral code have been respected", said Ntahorwamiye, adding that women have reached 50 percent this time.
He specified that after co-optation, the Senate will be composed of 13 senators, including seven men and six women.
"These provisional results for the senatorial elections are quickly going to be sent to the Constitutional Court for validation," said Ntahorwamiye.
During the combined legislative elections and the election of district councilors held on June 5, the ruling CNDD-FDD grabbed an overwhelming victory.
Burundi is also set to hold village-level elections on Aug. 25. The next presidential election is slated for 2027. ■