Nairobi
– Burundi has ordered the expulsion of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO)
expert team coordinating the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic,
just days before a presidential election.
The foreign ministry, in a letter
to WHO Africa headquarters and seen by AFP on Wednesday, said the UN agency’s
representative in Burundi and his three colleagues “are declared persona
non grata and as such, must leave the territory of Burundi” by Friday.
The directive, dated 12 May,
expels WHO’s top official in Burundi, Doctor Walter Kazadi Mulombo, the
country’s coronavirus coordinator Dr Jean Pierre Mulunda Nkata, communicable
diseases head Dr Ruhana Mirindi Bisimwa, and a laboratory expert in the testing
for Covid-19, Professor Daniel Tarzy.
“It is the whole WHO team
responsible for supporting Burundi in its response against Covid-19,” a
Burundian official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“They are expelled and the
health minister has totally excluded WHO, accusing it of unacceptable
interference in its management of the coronavirus.”
‘God’s protection’
The letter does not provide a
reason for the decision. Diplomatic and administrative sources told AFP the
foreign ministry aborted a similar attempt to expel the same four officials a
month ago.
The announcement comes just days
before Burundians go to the polls on 20 May to choose a new president,
parliamentarians and local officials.
The landlocked country of some 11
million has officially recorded 27 cases and one death from Covid-19, the
disease caused by the coronavirus.
But it has taken few precautions
against the disease and testing is low, fuelling concern that the true extent
of the outbreak is not known.
Rights groups say the government
is pressing ahead with the vote no matter the cost, and accuses the ruling
party and its youth wing of crushing dissent and threatening those taking their
own measures against coronavirus.
Officials in Burundi earlier
cited “God’s protection” for the country’s ostensibly low infection
rate and urged citizens to go about their daily lives without fear.
Stay healthy and entertained during the national lockdown. Sign up for our Lockdown Living newsletter. Register and manage your newsletters in the new News24 app by clicking on the Profile tab