"Our unity has always been strengthened by the fact that all Burundians come from the same origin: we are the sons and daughters of the same Fatherland, Burundi; we share a common property which is at the same time the property of the Father of the Nation; we believe in one God, we speak the same language, Kirundi. We believe in one God, we speak the same language, Kirundi", we heard in the speech centered on the main axes of the Charter of National Unity delivered by the Right Honorable Gelase Daniel Ndabirabe on February 06, 2023, in the name of His Excellency Evariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Republic of Burundi.
A scrupulous call that urges all Burundian people to unite more than ever
The President of the Republic stressed on the proclamation of faith in the durability of national unity, condemning and rejecting forever divisions of any kind, committing himself to rigorously respect the ethics of national unity and taking the firm resolution to organize national life in the way of unity more than ever. The unity in question was once reinforced by the fundamental principles that have always guided Burundians, principles that are reflected in Burundian cultural values, traditions and customs. These values are manifested through love, mutual aid and unfailing helpfulness: visiting each other with gifts, exchanging gifts during difficult circumstances as a sign of compensation, helping each other to advance one’s work during ploughing, offering each other cows, supporting each other during unfortunate events, helping one’s neighbors through a difficult day, etc. "Where there is unity, it manifests itself, there is no need to advertise it. Where there is unity, every person feels comfortable in society, there is no place where they cannot tread for fear of punishment. Unity reigns in a country when the citizens have the same spirit and the same vision of things. In this case, everyone lives in humility, considering that his neighbor is worth more than he is because he has things to offer him. Indeed, no one is self-sufficient, one always needs the other. Unity therefore reigns in a country when all citizens have the right to equitable access to the common heritage," he said the president of the National Assembly. Convinced that no Hutu hates a Tutsi just because he is a Tutsi, that no Tutsi hates a Hutu because he is a Hutu, and that the same is true for the Twa, the President of the Republic urged the population to safeguard this unity that has always characterized Burundi’s ancestors, but which, after some time, has become broken and completely disappeared after the country fell into the hands of a clique of selfish and murderers.
Advice to the leaders
Obviously, since time immemorial, Burundians have drawn their culture and customs from the same source. They had only one king, and his representatives who helped him to fulfill his functions as a father in the Burundian family. Even the Burundian adage says it well: "The strength of the king comes from his advisors. In this persuasive speech, the President of the Republic reminds us that a leader represents the country and that he must know that all citizens are equal, since things have always been that way. That is why the king was called "Sebarundi" - the Father of Burundians, because he represented the motherland that gave birth to us. He added that it is the leaders animated by a spirit of hatred towards their homeland who are at the origin of the troubles in the country; each one wanting to set those of his camp against those of the other camp. The Head of State called on the leaders to examine their conscience, to wake up and take a proper decision, as they are the pillars and shield of the unity of their people.
According to him, a good leader should be guided by fundamental principles emanating from a deep personal ideal and a love for work without fail, and resolutely fight for the interests of the people he is called to serve. He can sacrifice himself for others and is willing to abandon his own interests for the good of those in his charge. A good leader in a country behaves like a good father. A leader is also the guarantor of the respect of the laws, customs and morals of the country and the non-transgression of the prohibitions. He lives according to Ubuntu and sows unity and love within the community. The loss of cultural and human values and good manners among the leaders has put the unity of Burundians to the test.
Engaging in community development work and loving the country
The Head of State deplores the typical attitude of Burundians who do not beautify the country. He underlines that refusing to ensure the cleanliness of his country, or refusing to embellish it with flowers, shows what is in the mind. He adds that the one who hates the country also refuses to sacrifice for it, refuses to look after its goods and even steals what belongs to it. He emphasized that it is this bad practice that has made injustices, corruption, and theft of public property: "If a person steals the property of the state, it shows that he does not love the country." He invites everyone to love the country, the leaders to look after its people and protect them from any problems, work for the country, making it clean, developing it while ensuring compliance with the law so that it protects everyone equally and citizens respect it equally. In addition, the authorities are invited to be responsible in the country, knowing that everyone is a leader in what he does and that he is called to serve as an example among his followers.
It is worth noting that the Right Honorable Gelase Daniel Ndabirabe was accompanied by his wife, the Honorable Members of Parliament elected in the Ngozi constituency and the 1st Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly.
