Kigali. One of the Rwandan nationals who was employed as the manager of local telecommunication operator in Burundi, which is known as ‘Econet’, has been deported from Burundi after the East African country’s security Services accused him of spying on behalf of ‘foreign intelligence’ that are accused of being behind the street demonstrations in the capital city Bujumbura, local media reported Monday in Kigali.

One of the popular vernacular newspaper published in Kigali, ‘Igihe.com’ quoted a senior Rwandan diplomat in Bujumbura as saying that the Rwandan national Antoine Masozera had been recruited in 2012 by the Burundi Mobile and Fixed Network Operator and had worked for the company until last weekend when he had been deported from Burundi on the basis of alleged espionage.It is said that the Rwandan national has been given 48 hours to leave the country, though there was no any retaliatory from the Rwandan side. This expulsion comes just two days after the Rwandan President Paul Kagame has also criticized his Burundian counterpart, Peter Nkurunziza’s desire to cling to power.

Speaking during an interview with the media while on trip in Switzerland, the Rwandan leader observed that when “your own citizens tell you ‘we do not want you to do that or to lead us’, maybe they are saying you haven’t done enough for them” Burundi’s Constitutional Court has dismissed objections over Nkurunziza’s re-election bid, saying his first presidential term did not count as he was elected by parliament, not directly by the people.Speaking during an interview with the state-run Radio Rwanda on Sunday, the Rwandan Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo has also expressed serious concern’ over the deteriorating political situation in Burundi. “Despite assurances given by Burundi, we can not provide any help but there are still fears about the possibility that the Rwandan rebels based in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DC) can enjoy the violence in Burundi and destabilize Rwanda ,” the Rwandan official said.

Burundi goes to the polls on 28 May for parliamentary elections, and then on 28 June for presidential election. But tension is already high ahead of the polls.Local observers say the tension has been exacerbated by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to run for a third term, in violation of the Arusha peace and reconciliation deal that brought the country’s civil war to an end. According to the Rwandan government, around 25,000 asylum seekers from Burundi arrived in the country over the last two months.Burundians have been demonstrating against his name appearing on the ballot for a third time.(NMG)

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