Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza was “eternal leader” call. On Monday, he died in a hospital in his hometown of Karuzi. The government announced “with great sadness, the death of His Excellency”, as a cause, you gave me a heart failure. Nevertheless, speculations came up immediately, the President was suffering from Covid-19. His wife had only been a few days previously to the Aga Khan hospital in Nairobi because they had been infected with the Coronavirus. The former sports Professor Nkurunziza, on the other hand had had to date, apparently, no complaints, yet on Saturday he had attended a Volleyball Match. Then he complained of feeling unwell. He was 55 years old.
Thilo Thielke
Free Rapporteur for Africa, based in Cape town.
F. A. Z. Twitter
Long the Evangelist, the founder and supporter of the football club Hallelujah FC, and passionate Church choir-singers would have remained in office. To the presidential election on 20 may. May took place, no longer was he a runner. Instead, the ruling party “had nominated forces for defence of democracy” (CNDD-FDD) its Secretary-General Evariste Ndayishimiye. While around the world, the Coronavirus is endemic, have been held in Burundi, the mass meetings of the party. Distance should not be held, the President said to his subjects, since it is “in the case of the Burundians to a God-blessed people”. Emissaries the world health organization were thrown out of the country, election observers from the East African community under quarantine. Free and fair was not much on these presidential, parliamentary and local elections.
Surprising withdrawal after 15 years
The candidate of the regime won according to the election Commission, with almost 69 percent of the votes cast. The Opposition complained about massive irregularities. In August, Nkurunziza wanted to hand over Power to his successor, and from then on only the “Supreme leader” called. That Ndayishimiye is the new President of the East African States, doubts, hardly anyone – even if the Burundian author David Gakunzi points out that “according to the Constitution of Burundi, the Parliament, the Chairman of take over and a new election must be proclaimed that if a President dies before his handover of power in office”.
Pierre Nkurunziza, was waived in may to once again to elect the President, has astonished most observers. For 15 years, the former rebel leader had been ruled by the tribe of Hutu and his people with an iron fist. In 2015, he left, much like the Tutsi Paul Kagame of neighbouring Rwanda, even change the Constitution to stay in Power. It came to bloody protests and a coup attempt, the Nkurunziza low could throw. The youth organization of the party, Imbonerakure, tortures and kills since then, members of the opposition. Thousands were killed, hundred of thousands fled abroad. Nkurunziza would be able to govern after the Orgy of Violence up to the year 2034 and renounced it.
