Outgoing Burundian president dies

NAIROBI - President Pierre Nkurunziza, who ruled the impoverished and unstable central African nation of Burundi for 15 years, has died, the government announced yesterday.

“The government of the Republic of Burundi announced with great sadness ... the unexpected death of his Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, President of Burundi,” it said in a tweeted statement, adding that he had died of a heart attack.

Nkurunziza was due to stand down in August, when retired general Evariste Ndayishimiye, who successfully stood for the ruling party in last month’s elections, was due to take over. The opposition said the elections were marred by rigging and violence, charges the government denied.

Nkurunziza would have preferred his ally Pascal Nyabenda, the president of the national assembly, to succeed him, according to a briefing by the International Crisis Group think tank, but the generals successfully lobbied for Ndayishimiye.

According to Burundi’s constitution, Nyabenda is now supposed to take over until

Ndayishimiye starts his seven-year term.

It was unclear exactly when Nkurunziza died at a hospital in Karuzi in central Burundi. The statement said he had watched a game of volleyball on Saturday but fell ill that night and was taken to hospital.

His health improved on Sunday and he spoke to people but “surprisingly, on morning of Monday June 8, 2020, his health suddenly deteriorated and he had a heart attack.”

Doctors provided “cardiopulmonary resuscitation” over the course of many hours but were unable to save him. The statement did not specify exactly when he died but asked people to remain calm and announced seven days of mourning.