Evariste Ndayishimiye sworn-in as Burundi President

In Summary

• Nkurunziza died aged 55 on June 8.

• He was suffering from Covid-19.

Evariste Ndayishimiye of the Burundi's ruling party, the National Council for the Defence of Democracy-Forces for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD-FDD).
Evariste Ndayishimiye of the Burundi's ruling party, the National Council for the Defence of Democracy-Forces for the Defence of Democracy (CNDD-FDD).
Image: REUTERS

Burundi's newly elected president, Evariste Ndayishimiye was sworn in on Thursday - two months earlier than planned.

The fast-tracked ceremony comes after his predecessor Pierre Nkurunziza died suddenly last week.

Ndayishimiye is a former rebel leader, like Nkurunziza.

 

He was backed by his predecessor and was declared the winner of May's presidential election, which the opposition said was rigged.

Nkurunziza died aged 55 on June 8 after suffering a cardiac arrest, the government said. There are unconfirmed reports that he was suffering from Covid-19.

After 15 years in power, Nkurunziza was due to step down in August.

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

But after a ruling by Burundi's Constitutional Court, Mr Ndayishimiye's inauguration in the capital, Gitega, was brought forward.

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