Eala lawmakers eulogise fallen Burundi colleague

Arusha. Members of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) eulogised Burundian colleague Hafsa Mossi during an emotional send-off on Thursday.

During their one-day special sitting Eala MPs called for independent investigation to establish the killers of the broadcaster-turned-politician, who before joining Eala was a minister in President Pierre Nkurunziza’s government.

However, most MPs said the killing of Ms Mossi in Bujumbura by unidentified gunmen, mirrored a series of violent incidents, which rocked Burundi since April last year whereby over 500 people have been killed,.

The Eala called on the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State to seriously intervene in Burundi’s political turmoil by ensuring all warring parties took part in on-going mediation efforts.

A resolution moved by Eala chair of the Committee on Legal, Rules and Privileges Peter Mathuki said brutal killings and violence in Burundi could only come to an end once security and stability was restored in the shortest possible time.

“Using political assassinations as a tool to settle political differences is not only a myopic, cowardly and despicable practice, but has not place in the political dispensation of the modern world of democracy, freedom of expression and association,” the resolution further said.

There was a sombre mood at the House as the normally cheerful MPs from the five EAC member countries - Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda - spoke on the virtues of the fallen MP, who was among the active members during debates on regional affairs.

The legislators unanimously expressed their deep concern on targeted political leaders and politically-active citizens in Burundi since the country plunged into a crisis following the presidential election in July last year, which was boycotted by some opposition parties.

Burundi minister for EAC Affairs Ms Leontine Nzeyimana was on the point of shedding tears when she assured the House that the government at home was investigating killing and appealed to the Assembly not to isolated the country.

Ms Mossi, who is survived by three daughters, was a member of the ruling CNDD-FDD party. She joined the government in 2007 as minister and government spokesperson. She resigned from the government in 2012 and contested the Eala posts for which she was elected.

An Eala member from Tanzania Ms Shy-Rose Bhanji called on the EAC leaders to stand by as Burundi was bleeding, saying the impact of violence there was being felt all over the region.

Dora Byamukama from Uganda said detectives from credible police agencies such as the Scotland Yard should be called to investigate the killing of Ms Mossi while other speakers insisted that an Eala session slated Bujumbura in October this year be switched to another venue.