The national assembly, pictured, is among the political offices that will move from Bujumbura to Gitenga. Credit/BBC
Burundi is moving capital from Bujumbura back to Gitega
Although Bujumbura will remain the economic capital of the country, Burundian parliament has voted to move the country’s capital from Bujumbura back to the ancient capital of Gitega
The vote took place on Wednesday and the leader of parliament said the move would take place over three years.
The first to move will be the upper house of parliament, the Senate – starting on Friday.
President Pierre Nkurunziza, who has to sign off the change, promised in 2007 to move the capital, saying Gitega was geographically more centrally placed in Burundi, AFP reports.
Others have been more sceptical about the motives behind the move.
Journalist Abdi Latif Dahir suggests in an article on the Quartz news site that it could be linked to Bujumbura “increasingly being an opposition stronghold, leading to continued clashes between protesters and police”.
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