Summary report of the plenary session of June 1, 2021 on the adoption of the activities’ programme from May 31 to June 11, 2021

The year two thousand and twenty-one, on the first day of June, senators met in the Senate Chamber in Gitega for the 44th plenary session of the sixth legislature to adopt the activities’ programme from May 31 to June 11, 2021.

The session was chaired by the Senate Speaker, Rt Honourable Emmanuel SINZOHAGERA. 27 senators participated in that session which began as usual with a prayer at 11:40 p.m.

Opening the session, the Chairman first welcomed the Honourable senators and then presented the draft program, which read as follows:

– Monday, May 31, 2021, senators worked in committees all day;

– Tuesday June 1, 2021 at 09:00 a.m., there was a meeting of the Bureau and the extended Bureau at 10:00 a.m. and a plenary session at 11:30 a.m. whose purpose was the analysis and adoption of the programme of activities from May 31 to June 11, 2021 and the work in committees;

–  Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, respectively 02, 03, and 04 June 2021, the Honourable senators will deal with the work in committees.

There will be sports activities in the afternoon of Friday from 3:00 p.m.;

– Monday June 07, 2021 at 9 a.m., it is planned a press conference with the media in Gitega;

– Tuesday June 08, 2021, the senators are invited to the 1^st anniversary celebration of the death of His Excellency the late President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, Supreme Guide of Patriotism in Burundi;

– Wednesday, June 9, at 9 a.m., a meeting of senators with the leaders of political parties and religious denominations approved in Burundi is scheduled in Gitega;

– Thursday, June 10, 2021, all day long, senators will meet to analyze and adopt the following bills:

– Bill on ratification of the Financing Agreement for the project to support the sustainable development of agricultural and livestock value chains in Burundi;

– Bill on ratification of the OFID Loan Agreement No. 1360P relating to the project to intensify agricultural production and reduce vulnerability in Burundi.

– Friday, June 11, 2021, 8:00 a.m., all senators are invited to participate in the fourth conference of testimony and exchanges on the 1972 events, at the Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika, in Bujumbura.

Regarding miscellaneous issues, the Senate Speaker recalled the objective of the conferences of testimony and exchanges on the events of 1972 organized by the Senate so that all the senators have a common understanding.  He indicated that the objective of those conferences is to make known the truth about what happened in 1972 through the testimonies of the different people who experienced those events.  It is also to appease the minds of the victims and the descendants of the perpetrators of these massacres who feel guilty every time such topics are raised, he explained. The senators discussed the topic and some of them gave their own testimonies.  Thus, the senators agreed to invite speakers from different ethnic and political (ideological) backgrounds for national inclusion.      

After fruitful exchanges, the session which took place in a climate of mutual understanding was closed by a prayer at 1:25 p.m.