Nairobi - Burundi is expelling the
national head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) during a
presidential election campaign where politicians have pressed
ahead with large rallies despite the risk from the coronavirus
pandemic.
The government confirmed on Thursday that a May 12 letter
from the foreign ministry was sent to WHO country head Walter
Kazadi Mulombo and three aides ordering them out by Friday.
The vote for a successor to President Pierre Nkurunziza,
whose government has been repeatedly accused of rights abuses
and has previously expelled other representatives of
international bodies, is due on May 20.
Bernard Ntahiraja, the foreign affairs assistant minister,
confirmed the WHO officials had been declared "persona non
grata" but did not give reasons. There was no immediate comment
from the WHO, which is an agency of the United Nations.
Supporters of Burundi's ruling party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), attend a campaign rally of their presidential candidate Evariste Ndayishimiye at the Bugendana Stadium. File picture: Evrard Ngendakumana/Reuters
Burundi has so far reported a relatively low caseload of the
Covid-19 disease: 27 infections and one death.
In 2018, it expelled UN investigators looking into
allegations of rights abuses. The United Nations has previously
accused security personnel and a ruling party militia of
orchestrating gang rapes, torture and killings.