Preamble
We, the People of Burundi:
Understanding our responsibilities before God:
Understanding our responsibilities and our duties to the past and to future generations;
Reaffirming our faith in the ideal of peace, of reconciliation, and of national unity in accordance with the Arusha Accords for Peace and Reconciliation in Burundi of August 28, 2000 and the Ceasefire Accords;
Affirming the commitment of Burundi to the Treaty establishing the East African Community (EAC);
Reaffirming our larger resolution to defend national sovereignty and to secure the political and economic independence of our country and to conserve our culture;
Considering the imperative necessity to ensure political stability, to promote the economic and social development of our country and to ensure the safeguarding of our culture;
Considering the need to safeguard and to sustain a democratic pluralistic order and a State of law;
Proclaiming anew that every human being, without distinction of race, of religion or belief, possesses sacred and inalienable rights;
Solemnly reaffirm our attachment to the respect of fundamental rights to the human person as prescribed by international texts concerning the rights of man ratified by Burundi as well as the fundamental principles recognized by the laws of the Republic;
Affirming the importance in international relations of the right to manage themselves;
Considering that relations between people must be characterized by peace, friendship, and cooperation conforming to the United Nations Charter of June 26, 1945;
Reaffirming our attachment to the cause of African unity conforming to the Constitutive Act of the African Union of May 25, 2002;
Reaffirming our commitment to construct a political order and a system of Government inspired by the realities of our country and founded on the values of justice, democracy, good governance, pluralism, respect of liberties and of the fundamental rights of the individual, unity, solidarity, mutual understanding, tolerance, and cooperation among the different ethnic groups of our society;
Deeply attached to constitutional legality and to democratic institutions;
Considering that democratic election is the sole means through which the people freely choose their leaders;
Condemning all non-democratic forms of rising to power;
SOLEMNLY ADOPT THE PRESENT CONSTITUTION WHICH IS THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF THE REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI
