The Union for National Progress (French: Union pour le Progrès national, UPRONA) is a nationalist political party in Burundi, receiving most of its support from members of the Tutsi ethnic group. It is celebrated for its role in gaining Burundian independence. UPRONA's most famous prime minister and Burundi National Hero is Prince 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 vicious 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 2010 general 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 better compete in the next 2015 elections.
Famous quotes containing the words union, national and/or progress:
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—Bernard Devoto (1897–1955)
“Let him [the President] once win the admiration and confidence of the country, and no other single force can withstand him, no combination of forces will easily overpower him.... If he rightly interpret the national thought and boldly insist upon it, he is irresistible; and the country never feels the zest of action so much as when the President is of such insight and caliber.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)
“pity this busy monster, manunkind,
not. Progress is a comfortable disease:”
—E.E. (Edward Estlin)