As the rest of the world was fighting with COVID-19 Pandemic, Africa lost a key fighter, Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza to heart attack.
But who is President Nkurunziza? Here are interesting facts about the late head of Burundi.
- He was born on 18 December 1964, Ngozi, Burundi and died on 8 June 2020 in Burundi aged 55 years old.
- He was married to Denise Bucumi in 1994 with whom they have 5 kids. At the time of his death, his wife Denise was fighting for her life in ICU, Nairobi due to COVID-19 disease.
- The late came to power in 2005 at the age of only 41 years and managed to rule for 15 years. He died at a position of outgoing President
- On 20th May 2020, his government floated COVID-19 led out guidelines bu WHO and went ahead to exercise general elections
- He controversially held the office for three terms rather than the two permitted in the constitution, sparking significant public unrest in 2015, he later stated that he won’t vie in for fourth term
- A civil war between the rival communities Hutu and Tutsi was sparked by the assassination of newly elected president Melchior Ndadaye in an attempted coup d’état in October 1993
- Being a Hutu, he fled into hiding to escape the Burundi Civil War, while in the bush he was sentenced to death by a government backed court order
- He would later organize a strong army of rebels that forced negotiations with the transition government. His rebel became a political party that led him to total power in 2005
- Nkurunziza is described as being a dictator from 2015, he withdrew Burundi from ICC as well as floating EAC meditations. his government became so more isolated than before
- After handing over power, he would continue to remain prominent in public life as “Supreme Guide of Patriotism”
