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Civil Administration Reform – 2003

Not all major parties to the conflict signed the agreement until 2003. During this three year gap, implementation of civil administration reforms began. The accord called for reforms to de-politicize the civil service, reduce corruption, and increase competence. The government conducted a census of public servants throughout the country in 2001. In the result published in February 2002, there were 40,642 people employed by the civil service, but the Civil Service Ministry had been sending paychecks to 41,642 people. Around 1000 people who had been getting paid were unaccounted for.¹ In July 2002, the parliament adopted new legislation allowing trade unions for civil servants.² No initiatives were taken to achieve a balance of ethnic groups in the civil service.

1. “Burundi: Census shows 1,007 ghost civil servants employed,” BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, March 8, 2002.
2. “Burundi: Parliament adopts draft law on civil service trade unions,” BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, July 5, 2002.