Pierre Nkurunziza
His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza | |
---|---|
9th President of Burundi | |
In office 26 August 2005 – 8 June 2020 | |
Vice President | |
Preceded by | Domitien Ndayizeye |
Succeeded by | Évariste Ndayishimiye |
Personal details | |
Born | CNDD–FDD | 18 December 1964
Spouse | |
Children | 6 |
Alma mater | University of Burundi |
Signature | |
Website | Official website |
Pierre Nkurunziza (18 December 1964 – 8 June 2020) was a Burundian politician who served as the ninth president of Burundi for almost 15 years from August 2005 until his death in June 2020.
A member of the Hutu ethnic group, Nkurunziza taught physical education before becoming involved in politics during the Burundian Civil War as part of the rebel National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy (Conseil National Pour la Défense de la Démocratie – Forces pour la Défense de la Démocratie, CNDD–FDD) of which he became leader in 2000. The CNDD–FDD became a political party at the end of the Civil War and Nkurunziza was elected president. He held the post controversially for three terms, facing bloody opposition, sparking significant public unrest in 2015.
He announced his intention not to stand for re-election in 2020 and instead ceded power to Évariste Ndayishimiye, whose candidacy he had endorsed. He died on 8 June 2020 shortly before the official end of his term. He was the longest-ruling president in Burundian history.
Early life
Childhood and teaching career, 1964–1995
Pierre Nkurunziza was born on 18 December 1964 in
Nkurunziza attended school in Ngozi and studied at the prestigious athénée in
Burundian Civil War and CNDD–FDD, 1995–2005
The newly elected president
Nkurunziza became the president of the CNDD–FDD on 28 August 2000 and presided over the movement as it moved towards a political compromise with the government. A series of agreements in 2003 paved the way for the CNDD–FDD to enter national politics, and allowed Nkurunziza to be reunited with his wife and surviving family members.
Presidency
First term, 2005–2010
Nkurunziza's term as president began on 26 August 2005 and he soon adopted a number of popular policies.
Second term and unrest, 2010–2015
Nkurunziza's second term saw rising discontent with his leadership.[11] Outdoor jogging was banned in June 2014 out of fear that group exercise might be used as cover for political meetings.[12] Dissent came to a head with the public announcement on 25 April 2015 that Nkurunziza would stand for a third term in the presidential elections scheduled for June that year. This appeared to be contrary to the term limits established in the Arusha Accords and sparked widespread protests in Bujumbura and elsewhere which led to violent confrontations. However, the Constitutional Court ruled on 5 May that the projected third term was legal. The protests then escalated and dozens were killed.[13]
A
Third term, 2015–2020
Nkurunziza's third term saw the country's increasing isolation in light of international condemnation of the repression which accompanied the 2015 unrest.[18][19] On 4 August 2015, he ordered the police to find the murderers of his ally, Lieutenant General Adolphe Nshimirimana, within ten days who was represented as the right-hand man of the president.[20]
The East African Community and African Union attempted to mediate the conflict unsuccessfully and Nkurunziza's regime became increasingly isolated.[21] Fearing an outbreak of genocidal violence, the African Union attempted to dispatch a peacekeeping force to Burundi in 2016 but this was blocked by Nkurunziza.[6] 1,700 civilians were estimated to have been killed in the subsequent repression and 390,000 fled across the border into Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[22] Poverty increased and many middle-class Burundians emigrated.[18] Nkurunziza withdrew Burundi from the International Criminal Court in 2017 and advocated constitutional reforms which would allow longer presidential terms which were approved in a disputed referendum in May 2018. However, in June 2018 he announced that he would not be standing for a fourth term and that he would consequently step down in 2020.[23] The same year, he was given the title of "Permanent Visionary" (Visionnaire permanent) by the CNDD–FDD.[5]
In March 2019, three girls were arrested for drawing on the president's portrait. Global outrage, with denunciations from Human Rights Watch and an international campaign on networks under the Hashtag #FreeOurGirls, forced the government, which agreed to release the three girls.[24][25]
Ahead of his resignation, Nkurunziza endorsed
Death
Nkurunziza died on 8 June 2020, aged 55, at the Fiftieth Anniversary Hospital in
Nkurunziza's death occurred after the 2020 elections, but ahead of the projected hand-over of power in August. It had been announced in May 2020 that he would continue to remain prominent in public life in the post of "Supreme Guide of Patriotism" (Guide suprême du patriotisme) with a retirement award of $540,000 (USD) and a villa provided by the government of Burundi.[33] Seven national days of mourning were announced in Burundi following his death.[34] Other states in the East African Community also observed official periods of mourning.[35] One day of mourning was also observed in Cuba.[36]
References
- ^ a b c d e Dictionary of African Biography, p. 489.
- ^ a b c d e f Bigirimana, Charles (26 August 2005). "Burundi's born-again ex-rebel leader". BBC. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ a b c d Dictionary of African Biography, p. 490.
- ^ "Burundi: IRIN interview with Pierre Nkurunziza, leader of CNDD-FDD" (Interview). Interviewed by The New Humanitarian. 23 August 2004. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ a b c "Le parcours du président Pierre Nkurunziza". IWACU-Les Voix du Burundi. 9 June 2020. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ a b c Tampa, Vava (12 June 2020). "Pierre Nkurunziza obituary". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ISBN 9780195382075.
- ^ "Final election results in Burundi confirm CNDD/FDD victory – Africa – Angola Press – ANGOP". Angola Press News Agency. 11 August 2005. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- ^ Kron, Josh (30 June 2015). "Opposition Calls Election in Burundi a 'Masquerade'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Sandner, Phillipp (21 February 2014). "Sacking of vice president tilts Burundi into crisis". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Franks, Tim (16 June 2014). "Burundi: Where jogging is a crime". BBC. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Steffen, Sarah (12 May 2015). "Crisis in Burundi – a timeline". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Smith, David (8 September 2015). "Burundi opposition spokesman shot dead as violence escalates". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Hatcher, Jessica (28 June 2015). "Violence, targeted killings consume Burundi protests". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "Burundi". UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Hatcher, Jessica (24 July 2015). "Burundi's president Pierre Nkurunziza wins third term in disputed election". Archived from the original on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ a b c Wolters, Stephanie. "Burundi: Can newly-elected President Ndayishimiye deliver change?". African Arguments. Royal African Society. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "Burundi leader wins third term". BBC News. 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- ^ "Today FM - Burundi's President PIERRE NKURUNZIZA has ordered the police to find the killers of his ally, Lieutenant General ADOLPHE NSHIMIRIMANA within ten days". todayfmlive.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "All quiet in Burundi?". Royal African Society. African Arguments. 11 September 2018. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ ""We Will Beat You to Correct You" Abuses Ahead of Burundi's Constitutional Referendum". Human Rights Watch. 18 May 2018. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "Burundi se ve obligado a liberar a tres niñas detenidas por pintarrajear una foto del jefe de Estado". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 28 March 2019. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Burundi school children deface portraits to defy president". gulfnews.com. 20 June 2016. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Ndayishimiye: Burundi government's presidential hopeful". BBC. 26 January 2020. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- ^ "Burundi's outgoing president dies, possibly of covid-19". The Economist. 11 June 2020. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ^ "¿Ha muerto por coronavirus el presidente de Burundi?". 9 June 2020. Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Burundi's outgoing President Pierre Nkurunziza dead from 'cardiac arrest'". The Africa Report. 9 June 2020. Archived from the original on 5 November 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "Burundi's outgoing president dies, possibly of covid-19". The Economist. 11 June 2020. Archived from the original on 29 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ Junior, Mireri (29 May 2020). "Burundi First Lady hospitalised at Aga Khan with Covid-19". The Standard. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ Omondi, Ferdinand (19 May 2020). "Burundi election: Nkurunziza set to become 'supreme guide'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "Burundi says President Pierre Nkurunziza has died of heart attack". Al Jazeera. 9 June 2020. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "EAC states fly flags at half-mast to mourn Nkurunziza". The Citizen. 15 June 2020. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
- ^ Iranzi, Fabrice (12 June 2020). "Burundi: The Republic of Cuba declares an official mourning from June 13". RegionWeek. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
External links
- Media related to Pierre Nkurunziza at Wikimedia Commons
- Video and Summary of Nkurunziza Speech on First Visit to Washington at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Archived 5 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine