Editor,

Refer to Joseph Rwagatare’s article, "Failed coup gives Burundi chance out of crisis” (The New Times, May 19).

Mr. Rwagatare writes so eloquently and intelligently. President Pierre Nkurunziza, like any other dictator, has to find a scapegoat for the problems he created himself.

No country in East Africa asked him to run for a third term in clear violation of the country’s constitution is clear.

He should accept the advice being given to him by everyone and do the right thing; that is: Tell his party to find another candidate to run for president and postpone the elections to allow proper preparations and free participation.

Nkurunziza should swallow the bitter pill and be seen to be doing the right thing.

Michael Rwogera

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The reason Burundi is in this mess is precisely because President Nkurunziza—and those in the shadows said to be pulling his strings—is incapable of acting like the statesman Mr Rwagatare would like him to be, at least for once. That course of action and behaviour would require the kind of emotional intelligence neither he nor the people who (depending on who you ask) either do his bidding or control him have not shown to-date.

You can change many things about human beings—and most living organisms—but our characters, and thus our likely behaviours in any given circumstances, are hardwired into us by both predisposition and upbringing (nature and nurture).

With Nkurunziza in charge and maintaining the same position, things in Burundi are programmed to get worse; there is very little likelihood that they can ever get better. So expect an increase in the flood of refugees as those who are able to avoid the combined Imbonerakure-security forces’ gauntlet vote with their feet.

As for those who believe the failed coup was a stage-managed smoke-and-mirrors production to provide an excuse for an all out crackdown on those opposing Nkurunziza’s third term project, Robert J. Hanlon had excellent advice: "Never ascribe to malice that which plain stupidity can explain, even if you shouldn’t rule out malice entirely!”

The coup plotters were clearly out of their depths. And on the strength of his record, Nkurunziza and his clique of Adolphes, Kazungus or Nyamitwes have never needed an excuse to do as they wished.

Mwene Kalinda