Union for National Progress

The Union for National Progress (French: Union pour le Progrès national, UPRONA) is a nationalist political party in Burundi. It initially emerged as a nationalist united front in opposition to Belgian colonial rule but subsequently became an integral part of the one-party state established by Michel Micombero after 1966. Dominated by members of the Tutsi ethnic group and increasingly intolerant to their Hutu counterparts, UPRONA remained the dominant force in Burundian politics until the latter stages of the Burundian Civil War in 2003. It is currently a minor opposition party.

Union for National Progress Union pour le Progrès national
President	Abel Gashatsi
Founder	Louis Rwagasore
Founded	January 1960
Ideology	Burundian nationalism Tutsi interests
Colors	Red and      white
Anthem	"UPRONA Ni wewe duhanze Amaso"
Senate	2 / 43
National Assembly	2 / 123
Party flag
Politics of Burundi Political parties Elections

History

UPRONA's most famous Prime Minister and Burundian National Hero is Louis Rwagasore (assassinated in 1961). From that time until 1965, the party also had some Hutu support, and three of its Hutu members, including Pierre Ngendandumwe, became Prime Minister of Burundi. The party was taken over by President Michel Micombero in a coup d'état and became a pillar of the military dictatorship that ruled the country from 1966 to 1993. In 1993, UPRONA placed second in contested elections to Melchior Ndadaye's FRODEBU. Since 1993, in the case of failure to be elected, UPRONA has always made sure to secure the position of Vice President or Prime Minister and some of the top positions in the government.

UPRONA President Pierre Buyoya handed over power to Hutu leader Domitien Ndayizeye of the Front for Democracy in Burundi (a Hutu-based party) on 30 April 2003. At the legislative elections in 2005, the party won 7.2% and 15 out of 118 seats.

During the 2010 elections, UPRONA boycotted councillors' and presidential elections, but decided to participate in the legislative elections claiming the need to form an opposition bloc in Parliament and to better compete in the 2015 elections.

Electoral history

Presidential elections

Election	Party candidate	Votes	%	Result
1984	Jean-Baptiste Bagaza	1,752,579	99.6%	Elected Y
1993	Pierre Buyoya	742,360	32.86%	Lost N
2015	Gerard Nduwayo	60,380	2.14%	Lost N
2020	Gaston Sindimwo	73,353	1.70%	Lost N

National Assembly elections

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position
1961	627,453	81.23%	58 / 64	58	1st
1965			21 / 33	37	1st
1982			52 / 65	31	1st
1993	461,691	21.87%	16 / 81	36	2nd
2005	174,575	7.21%	15 / 118	15	3rd
2010	251,759	11.06%	17 / 106	2	2nd
2015	71,189	2.49%	2 / 121	15	3rd
2020	108,865	2.54%	2 / 123		3rd

Senate elections

Election	Seats	+/–	Position
2005	2 / 49	2	4th
2010	2 / 41		2nd
2015	2 / 43		2nd

External links

• UPRONA official website