Burundi: “The Burundian justice does not act in a vacuum,” explains the Minister of Justice

“Burundi has jurisdictions and laws that it applies but everything must comply with EAC treaties,” said Aimée Laurentine Kanyana, Burundian Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals.

Speaking on Monday in a five-day training workshop held in Bujumbura from 20 to 25 March 2017 for various stakeholders in the field of justice, the Minister of Justice considers that the courts and laws Comply with the standards of the sub-region. “Stakeholders in this area must be immersed in the roles and procedures of the East African Community (EAC) Court of Justice in order to better serve litigants,” said Minister Kanyana.

To do so, they are called upon to plead before this court and the country must initiate reforms in the drafting of legal texts in order to maintain its conformity with the treaties of East Africa.




For the Minister of Justice Aimé Laurentine Kanyana, this court has as complement of missions the respect of the treaties of the contracts and conventions between the member states. It also aims to standardize practices in relation to the content of the treaty and that the decisions of the institutions of the community obey the objectives of the community.

“It is very important that all stakeholders know the Burundian justice process and understand that it does not operate in a vacuum. All decisions and legal acts that we make must be in close conformity with the treaties of the region” , Said Kanyana.

In response to the question of the very limited number of participants, the Minister indicated that this was a training of trainers. “This training will continue,” reassured Ms. Kanyana. This training included the participation of lawyers members of the bars of Bujumbura and Gitega, magistrates and inspectors of justice.