Godefroid Niyombare
General Godefroid Niyombare | |
---|---|
Ambassador of Burundi to Kenya | |
In office February 2014 – December 2014 | |
Preceded by | Ezéchiel Nibigira |
Succeeded by | Béatrice Kankindi |
Personal details | |
Born | Burundi Army | 18 October 1969
Years of service | until 2015 |
Rank | Major general |
Godefroid Niyombare (born 1969) is a
Military career
During the
After the civil war, Niyombare was a top army officer under President Nkurunziza, who nominated him as army chief of staff. Niyombare was confirmed in that post by a vote of the
During the African Union Mission to Somalia, Niyombare oversaw military efforts, with 4,400 Burundian troops deployed in March 2011.[11] Niyombare said on 14 March 2011 that the soldiers had been deployed a week before.[12]
In late 2014, Niyombare was appointed as head of the National Intelligence Service (SNR). He served in that post for only three months, as he was dismissed by Nkurunziza in February 2015. His dismissal occurred after the leaking of a 10-page memo he wrote arguing against Nkurunziza's controversial plans to run for a third term.[13][10]
May 2015 coup attempt
In the midst of protests against Nkurunziza's bid for a third term, which many viewed as unconstitutional, Niyombare announced from a private radio station on 13 May 2015 that he was deposing the President, who was at the time at talks in neighboring
Nkurunziza loyalists resisted and declared that the coup had been defeated. On 14 May, rebel soldiers attacked the state radio and television broadcaster, but they were repelled by loyalist forces. In the wake of this failure, the coup crumbled. Early on 15 May, Niyombare said that he and the other coup leaders had decided to surrender to government forces. Niyombare said that he hoped the loyalists would not kill them.[14] The government announced that he had been captured but that statement was retracted later that day.[15]
References
- ^ https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/13712.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Général Major Godefroid Niyombare, nouvel ambassadeur du Burundi au Kenya" (in French). IGIHE. 21 February 2014.
- ^ "Approbation de l'ambassadeur du Burundi au Kenya" (in French). Bujanews. 31 December 2014.
- ^ "Police Vanish From Burundi Capital; Coup Attempt Celebrated". The New York Times. The Associated Press. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- Reuters.com. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ Nimubona, Desire (13 May 2015). "Burundi Ex-Intelligence Chief Announces Coup After Protests". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ^ "Le Général-Major Godefroid Niyombare chef du service national des renseignements (SNR) limogé" (in French). Iwacu. 18 February 2015.
- ^ "Le général Niyombare à la tête de la nouvelle rébellion au Burundi" (in French). Voice of America. 21 January 2016.
- ^ a b "Ex- Hutu rebel voted army chief". news24. 17 April 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Burundi coup bid: President Nkurunziza's return 'thwarted'". BBC. 14 May 2015.
- ^ "Burundi sends 1,000 extra AU troops to Somalia". Reuters. March 12, 2011. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012.
- ^ AFP 14/3/2011, reported in ARB-PSC March 1–31, 2011, p.18776C.
- ^ "Expert: General Behind Burundi Coup is Well Respected". VOA News. 13 May 2015.
- ^ "Burundi coup chief Niyombare says putsch plotters surrender", AFP, 15 May 2015.
- ^ Goran Tomasevic, "Burundi says it arrests leader of failed coup", Reuters, 15 May 2015.