On Tuesday, the East African Community, a regional body, gave the election a clean bill of health, congratulating Burundi for holding “peaceful and successful” vote.
“The 2020 Burundi elections hold an iconic place in the history of the nation, marking this the first peaceful and democratic transfer of power. More significantly, the process was domestically driven through own funding,” it said in a statement.
“The peaceful conclusion of the electoral process will not only be a big win for the people of Burundi, but for the East African Community as a region.”
Ndayishimiye is expected to be sworn in for a seven-year term in late August when President Pierre Nkurunziza’s term ends.
Nkurunziza, who is retiring after 15 years in power in a move that caught many people by surprise, praised his successor.
“I warmly congratulate the president-elect General Major Evariste Ndayishimiye for his large victory, which confirms that the great majority of Burundians adhere to the projects and the values he embodies,” Nkurunziza said on his official Twitter account.
Meanwhile he said in his comments “We are privileged witnesses to history. May God bless Burundi!” the 55-year-old leader added.
In a statement, it was gathered that CNL said the results announced by the electoral commission were “not credible”, adding “they were prefabricated and stemming from a massive fraud”. The opposition party, which has until Thursday to formally contest the result, claimed it won the vote and was going to challenge the outcome in court.