{President John Magufuli held talks with Rwanda’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms Louise Mushikiwabo, in Dar es Salaam in which the political crisis in Burundi was among the issues touched.}
As the two discussed the political crisis, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, East African, Regional and International Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga, left for a two-day tour of Uganda and Burundi on the same mission. President Magufuli and Ms Mushikiwabo agreed that political dialogue was very important and should, therefore, be pursued to resolve the deadly crisis.
According to a statement issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communications shortly after the talks, the two leaders agreed that dialogue would enable Burundians to live in peace and continue with their daily activities in a tranquil atmosphere. Ms Mushikiwabo had delivered a special message to Dr Magufuli from Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
In his message, President Kagame assured President Magufuli of continued cooperation with Tanzania politically, socially and economically as Rwanda were both a friend and neighbour of Tanzania. President Kagame, in his message, also commended Dr Magufuli for the good job he has so far done in running the Fifth Phase Government.
He said that he fully supported him in the endeavour. In another development, Dr Mahiga left on Wednesday for a two-day tour of Uganda and Burundi on a peace mission directed by President Magufuli, who is the current EAC chair.
In Uganda, Dr Mahiga will hold talks with Ugandanwhere he will meet with different political stakeholders before meeting Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza. While in Burundi, Dr Mahiga will also find out if there is any need for the African Union (AU) to send troops to control the killings in that country now going on unabated in the midst of the fresh round of civil strife, before flying back to Dar es Salaam later today.
Tanzania hopes to have the peace talks back on track on December 28 — in Uganda while on January 8, East African foreign affairs ministers will meet in Arusha to prepare an agenda ahead of the EAC Heads of State Summit on Burundi peace.
President Magufuli also wants Dr Mahiga to also find out why there was an influx of Burundian refugees fleeing their country following political unrest in the landlocked country.
On Tuesday, Dr Magufuli met the President of the Burundi Senate, Mr Révérien Ndikuriyo, at the State House in Dar es Salaam, where they discussed the political situation in the central African country and the country’s security following the ongoing political impasse.
On the Burundi crisis, Mr Ndikuriyo told Dr Magufuli that his country was ready for a dialogue with all stakeholders that will facilitate restoration of peace there. Previously, President Museveni was given the task of facilitating Burundi peace talks. However, no political solution was found.
According to a statement from the State House, Dr Magufuli talked to President Nkurunziza at the weekend, who expressed his readiness to engage in a dialogue that will help to end the crisis in his country.
The political unrest in Burundi started when President Nkurunziza declared that he would run for a third presidential term despite opposition claims that the bid violated a constitutional limit to serve no more than two terms in the post.
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