TITLE I. Of THE STATE AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE PEOPLE
1. Of the General Principles
Article 1
Burundi is an independent, sovereign, secular, democratic, and unitary Republic, respectful of its ethnic and religious diversity.
Article 2
The national territory of Burundi is inalienable and indivisible.
Article 3
Burundi is subdivided into provinces, communes, zones, local administrative collectivities, and all other subdivisions specified by the law. The law establishes their organization and functioning. It can modify their limits and number.
Article 4
The status and the reestablishment of the monarchy may be the object of a referendum. Any party acting peacefully in favor of the restoration of the monarchy had the right to organize.
Article 5
The national language is Kirundi. The official languages are Kirundi and all other languages established by the law.
All original legislative texts must be in Kirundi.
Article 6
The principle of the Republic of Burundi is “The Government of the people, by the people and for the people.”
Article 7
The national sovereignty belongs to the people that exercise it, either directly through a referendum, or indirectly by their representatives. No party of the people or individual may claim to exercise this power.
Article 8
Suffrage is universal, equal, secret, free and transparent. It may be direct or indirect within the conditions provisioned by the law.
All Burundians at least 18 years of age and with all their civil and political rights have the right to vote within the conditions determined by the electoral code.
Article 9
The capital of Burundi is fixed at Bujumbura. The law may transfer it to another location within the Republic.
Article 10
The flag of Burundi is tricolored: green, white and red. It has the form of a rectangle divided by a ribbon, with a white disk touching three red stars with six branches each that form a fictional, equilateral triangle inscribed in a fictional circle having the same center as the disk and a disk that is parallel to the length of the flag.
The law defines the dimensions and other details of the flag.
Article 11
The slogan of Burundi is “Unity, Labor, Progress.” The emblem of the Republic of Burundi is a coat of arms with a lion’s head and three lances, the image encircled by the national slogan.
The national hymn is “Burundi Bwacu.”
The law determines the seal of the Republic.
Article 12
Burundi citizenship is acquired, protected and lost according to the conditions determined by the law.
Children born of Burundi men or women have the same rights of nationality according to the law.
2. OF THE FUNDAMENTAL VALUES
Article 13
All Burundi people are equal in merit and dignity. All the citizens enjoy the same rights and have the right to the same legal protection. No Burundi citizen may be excluded from the social, economic, or political life of the nation due to his or her race, language, religion, gender or ethnic origin.
Article 14
All Burundi citizens have the right to live in Burundi in peace and security. They may live together in harmony, while respecting each other’s human dignity and tolerating their differences.
Article 15
The Government is constructed from the volition of the Burundi people. It is responsible before them and respectful of their fundamental rights and liberties.
Article 16
The Burundi government must be composed as to represent all Burundi citizens and give all citizens equal chances to participate in civic affairs; that all the citizens have access to public services and that all decisions and the actions of the Government obtain the largest support possible.
Article 17
The Government has a responsibility to realize the aspirations of the Burundi people, in particular to resolve past divisions, ameliorate the quality of life of all the Burundi people and to guarantee to all the possibility of living in Burundi free from fear, discrimination, sickness and hunger.
Article 18
The function of the political regime is to unite, reassure and reconcile all Burundi citizens. This regime ensures that the Government places the source of its power and authority at the service of the Burundi people.
The Government respects the separation of powers, the pre-eminence of the law, principles of good governance and transparency in public affairs.
