Burundi Expels World Health Organisation Officials in a Pandemic, Pushes for Elections

The leader of Burundi opposition CNL party, Agathon Rwasa addresses supporters during a campaign rally in Ngozi province on 27 April

Burundi has expelled the World Health Organization (WHO) representative in the country Dr Walter Kazadi.

A letter from the foreign affairs ministry declared that WHO Representative Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo and three others; Prof Tarzy Daniel, Dr Ruhana Mirindi Bisimwa and Dr Jean Pierre Murunda are "persona non grata" with a 48-hour demand to leave the country.

Burundi Foreign Affairs Minister Ezechiel Nibigira confirmed the letter to the BBC without giving reasons for their expulsion.

Aid officials say the World Health Organisation has been sidelined from participating in the coronavirus response.

Letter expelling WHO officials from Burundi

Burundi government is facing criticism for organising elections amid the coronavirus outbreak.

27 people have so far been confirmed with COVID-19 in the country, but doctors and nurses in Bujumbura, the country’s largest city told The New Humanitarian they are treating many more patients with the virus.

As the country sends their coronavirus response teams to the backseat, millions of citizens are being rallied to participate in a divisive general election next week.

This flouts social distancing guidelines set by the World Health Organization to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading through the masses during the campaign season.

Burundi hold elections amid a coronavirus pandemic

Public rallies by candidates for the presidency are taking place across the nation ahead of the 20 May election and no measures to contain the virus are being observed - sparking fears of an imminent spike.

Citizens are paying a price for the lack of control measures, according to a nurse who works at one of the main hospitals in Bujumbura.

A doctor on the national coronavirus taskforce said there are at least 10 times more confirmed cases than the government has made public.

Patients have escaped medical facilities without a proper follow-up as senior medical staff are out campaigning for the ruling party rather than coordinate the pandemic response.

The World Health Organization and the Red Cross had traced and tested 62 people in April and found five cases positive to COVID-19.

The government trashed the report and directed its Ministry of Health to conduct testing and contact tracing on its own.

A soldier watches over a crowd of supporters at a political rally in Burundi

The small East African country has been affected by political violence since its last election in 2015 that saw President Pierre Nkurunziza run for a disputed third term in office.

Crackdowns on opponents following protests and a failed coup left more than 1,000 people dead and sent hundreds of thousands fleeing to neighbouring countries.