August 2008Burundi's President, Pierre Nkurunziza loves nothing more than taking to the soccer field. He uses these appearances, which inevitably draw large crowds, to push his message of peace and reconciliation."We shouldn't hold back on attacking but we shouldn't hurt him," a coach tells his team who are about to play the Haleluya Football Club. The Halelyua team's star player and focus of the coach's remark is none other than Nkurunziza. Burundi's "Football President" believes that the great game can unite the tribal divisions that ravaged his nation. "Soccer in Burundi is very popular and when you come here you see all the people, even the old men, old women, come to watch. It is very important to unite the people." Until four years ago Nkurunziza was a rebel soldier waging a guerilla war against the Tutsi soldiers. In 2005 he was elected President under a deal to end the conflict between the Tutsi-dominated army and Hutu rebels. Finally a ceasefire seems to be holding. "We can publicly announce that we have ended the war. And the energy we were using to fight and to flee, will now be used to mend the hearts of the people of Burundi and to develop our country," exclaims Nkurunziza. The government has promised universal health care and free primary education. Yet in a nation where money is sparse, everyone is called in to help and the President is setting the example.Produced by SBS/DatelineDistributed by Journeyman Pictures
Hey Dongola you are right but every human being must believe that politic is full oy lies, you know why? I have good expamle, few moths ago this presindent made vow that he will never get rid of his consella Husein R. but from his envy he put him in jail and try to wash his her infront of those poor Burundians which most of them are not educated as it is been reported that Burundi has 20 percent educated in its population, our leaders are not able to develop our countries coz they are Envious.
sirwallaby(August 27, 2008 at 4:08 pm)
hahaha thats how it start visiting people and going around visiting villages then its all downhill from there,same story diffrent actors.u will see.
kezaclement(August 27, 2008 at 3:19 am)
Of course there are always two sides of a coin...But the blindness to real issues for fanatism's sake is what keels us behind. Look, Burundi is not better from years ago, it is just different...Where have we seen a grenade thrown in a wedding ceremony and "that's ok"? Give me a break! It's ok to fail, it's ok to err...Look, we need to agree that there are a lot of shortcoming in Nkurunziza's approach to governance. Part of the shortcoming are due to his credentials.
kezaclement(August 27, 2008 at 3:18 am)
Of course there are always two sides of a coin...But the blindness to real issues for fanatism's sake is what keels us behind. Look, Burundi is not better from years ago, it is just different...Where have we seen a grenade thrown in a wedding ceremony and "that's ok"? Give me a break! It's ok to fail, it's ok to err...Look, we need to agree that there are a lot of shortcoming in Nkurunziza's approach to governance. Part of the shortcoming are due to his credentials.
ISEEKTRUTH1(August 27, 2008 at 12:27 am)
Let us not forget that not so long ago people came to Africa crying "For God and King" and they wrecked havoc on the continent and forever changed our destiny. It never fails to amaze me that so many people in Africa still seek to solve the problems brought by those foreigners using the same things that caused the problems in the first place! We worship the God they brought us, we govern ourselves using the same systems that they used to destroy us and we even call ourselves by their names!
faburundi(August 26, 2008 at 10:13 pm)
its ok because there are of course many ppl like u who believe corruption should be the reason for everything but u don't seem to realize how bad the country was corrupt in the past
faburundi(August 26, 2008 at 10:12 pm)
i agree poverty is one of the main obstacles...but i don't agree with u acting like an american by saying we shouldn't combine religion and politics....it is a nation of mostly catholics....the ppl have been fighting and killing each other while forgetting their faith...so sorry but that wuz kinda dumb to say that cuz we as barundi need God in our lives to continue bringing peace and stability in our nation!
faburundi(August 26, 2008 at 10:09 pm)
wow its good to know the few ppl who are like u are out there to be pessimistic and negative towards an individual who has gone out of his way to help the ppl of burundi strive for a better future... i don't think any of the previous presidents could do anything else but fuck up the economy and kill innocent ppl and hide behind their sins.... good luck with ur negative attitude hater!
aidanburke(August 26, 2008 at 4:08 pm)
beckham for prime minister couldn't do any worse than browne
sirwallaby(August 23, 2008 at 4:47 pm)
i dont like the burundi president,he look very corrupt and will drive burundi to another civil war.
1DONGOLA(August 22, 2008 at 4:23 pm)
he sound trusted presidant for his countrybless
ISEEKTRUTH1(August 22, 2008 at 1:23 am)
We should applaud all efforts for peace and stability in the nations of Africa. The former president is very right to point out that the eradiction of poverty should be the main concern of the new government. On the other hand all people should be concerned about the mixing of religion and politics. A president advocating his/her religion and using it as a platform and validation for his/her administration can only lead to repression of differing points of view and a breakdown of free speech.
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