The Burundian football under the sway of the political authority: towards a systemization of its development and instrumentalization as a reconciliation strategy

Abstract

ABSTRACT The article examines the role of Burundian football on the eve of the socio-political crisis that followed the assassination of Melchior Ndadaye in 1993. ‘Reconciling football’ has played a leading role in the reconciliation and social cohesion between former fighters of the armed movement CNDD-FDD ‘largely dominated by the Hutu’ and the former forces of the Burundi armed ‘largely dominated by the Tutsi’ after the cease-fire agreement on 16 November 2003. The article also highlights the political dynamics of instrumentalization of football that relies on the President of the Republic, Pierre Nkurunziza and the Senate Speaker, Revérien Ndikuriyo, all ex-combatants of the CNDD-FDD. In order to gain electoral support, this dynamic is reinforced in the construction of sports facilities and the organization of football reconciliation and social cohesion meetings. Using information from the print media, archives and audio-visual as well as field observations, the article demonstrates the role and influence of the political and administrative elite in Burundian football.