Burundi's first lady returns after husband's death

Denise Nkurunziza, the widow of Burundi’s late president, returned home from receiving medical treatment in Kenya hours after the announcement of her husband’s death, the BBC has learnt.

On Tuesday afternoon, the government announced that President Pierre Nkurunziza had died aged 55 after suffering a cardiac arrest.

An official in the Burundian president’s office denied that Mrs Nkurunziza, who was airlifted to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on 28 May, had been treated for coronavirus.

She was discharged on Tuesday, an official at the private Kenyan hospital where she was staying told the BBC, without giving details about her condition.

A journalist in Burundi’s main city of Bujumbura confirmed to the BBC that Mrs Nkurunziza had arrived home on Tuesday evening.

Mrs Nkurunziza, a mother of five and former immigration officer, is known in Burundi for her philanthropic work through her foundation called Buntu.

The Burundi government spokesperson Prosper Ntahorwamiye has told BBC Great Lakes they are still "consulting the constitutional court" on the succession of Pierre Nkurunziza.

He said the court is "studying the power vacancy" and "will take a few days".

There is uncertainty over who is going to take over the presidency after Mr Nkurunziza died on Monday aged 55 after suffering a cardiac arrest

The late president was preparing to hand over power to president-elect, Major General Evariste Ndayishimiye in August.

According to the constitution, if the head of state dies in office then the speaker of the national assembly, currently Pascal Nyabenda, should succeed him.

Meanwhile, the government has denied reports that the mother of the late president has also died.

Mr Ntahorwamiye said Mr Nkurunziza's mother “is sick but not dead”. He added that the nature of her illness was a private matter.

The denial was prompted by social media speculation on her state.

The country's first lady returned home on Tuesday evening from Kenya where she had been hospitalised.