Saturday, April 20, 2024

Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza has died of a heart attack

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Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza has died of a heart attack, according to the government. In a statement posted on Twitter on Tuesday, the government announced “with great sorrow to Burundians and the international community” the passing of Nkurunziza, 55.

“The Government of the Republic of Burundi announces with great sadness the unexpected death of His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi… following heart failure on June 8, 2020,” the post said.

An evangelical who believed he was chosen by God to rule the East African nation, Nkurunziza came to power in 2005, when he was selected by parliament. His controversial and ultimately successful bid for a third term in 2015 plunged the country into crisis.

The violence left at least 1,200 people dead, displaced hundreds of thousands and the authorities carried out a sustained crackdown on the opposition and media.

His death comes on the heels of elections on 20 May in which his hand-picked successor, Evariste Ndayishimiye, secured a seven-year term as president – a result confirmed by the constitutional court last Thursday.

Ndayishimiye was due to be sworn in in August.

Nkurunziza had attended a volleyball match on Saturday afternoon and was taken to the hospital that evening after falling ill. Although he appeared to recover on Sunday and spoke to those around him, he suddenly deteriorated on Monday morning. He then suffered a heart attack and despite an immediate resuscitation attempt, doctors were unable to revive him.

Nkurunziza died at a hospital in Karuzi, eastern Burundi.

The government said there would be a period of national mourning for seven days from Tuesday and that flags would be flown at half-mast.

In power since 2005, Nkurunziza was due to be replaced in August by political ally Evariste Ndayishimiye, who was declared earlier this month the winner of a May 20 presidential election.

Nkurunziza’s final years in office were racked by turmoil.

His controversial decision to run for a third term in 2015 was condemned by the opposition as unconstitutional and sparked mass unrest. After a failed military coup and a crackdown by security forces, hundreds of thousands of people fled to neighboring countries to escape the violence.

42 COMMENTS

  1. I wonder why African leaders think they will carry stolen wealth and brutal dictatorship to heaven (sorry I meant to say HELL). The goes one. From soil to soil. From ashes to ashes. It’s all vanity vanity & vanity. Like chasing the wind as if you can catch it in your hands.

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  2. Politics is a dirty game no wonder they live in Bankers surrounded by body guards..they create enemies every day

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  3. RIP son of the African soil. Ignorance is celebrating the death of a fellow African while protesting and kneeling for an American who had a criminal past. And people wonder why we are looked down upon

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  4. Wow, so it is possible that Ba Edgar can die from Heart Attack too!!
    With the likes of Lusambo in the mix, this bad month to die. Pray.

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  5. This is what I have been warning our politicians about. Nkurunzinza was a dictator that thouht he would have power perpetually and live forever! Sad that a man has died. But this should be a warning to our corrupt, power hungry leaders. Your time is coming also. It can be tomorrow or next year or in 10 years. But its coming. How will you be remembered? Your friend will be remembered as a greedy, power hungry tyrant who destroyed his country.
    Having all the power in the world, and access to the most advanced medical practitioners won’t save you when you time comes. Live wisely.
    As for this man, his deeds shall follow him beyond the grave and he wil have to explain his actions.
    Beware ba pf

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  6. He was a brutal leader and he will be remembered for that brutality. What a sad way of departure.

    Please let’s live in godly way and care others.

    Many people suffered under his rule and i hope his successor will be be a good leader.

    Condolences to people of Burundi though.

    Wake up call to this dictator of ours Edgar Lungu and reminding him to leave behind the good legacy like Mwanawasa.

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  7. The clock is ticking. Time is fast running out. Repent and do the right thing, or continue on your path of destruction and regret the consequences. God is watching us .

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  8. Politicians….just look at how many enemies Trump has created…imagine what would happen to Trump if he walks down the street just like you and me without security…people will rip him pieces or set on fire….Nkurunzinza had created alot of enemies and after office he became a target…..its that simple

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  9. Biology has intervened. This is a warning to all of you of clay thinking you can outlive your uselessness.

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  10. Dictators think they are infallible and will live with their evil ways forever. A warning for those still alive and abuse their authority and treat their people as hopeless subjects, devoid of respect and treat their citizens as stepping stones to ill gotten wealthy.

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  11. Lesson for all African leaders. Why
    Accumulate all the wealth.see who will use all this wealth.Off shore money will not even be
    Claimed.

  12. God is Almighty,never judge,we are all sinners and fallen short of God’s glory.Non is perfect,check yourself and comment again.

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  13. This evening I took my newly purchased range rover for a test drive around the streets of lusaka. I was listening to Oliver mthukudzi and the likes of simply red. I was deep in thought looking around Lusaka seeing all the amazing infrastructure development this party has undertaken. It made me realise why the zambian people have been voting us back into power and why they will again. I love you ba lungu.

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  14. God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. Dieu ne prend pas plaisir à la mort des méchants. You are all wicked fornicating everyday! How dirt! God why do Zambian men fornicate with their ugly women? I wish President Lungu long live, Long live President Lungu.

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  15. Nkurunziza will have to answer for all the people he killed and wounded, just so he could hang on to political power. He’ll stand before a holy God, and all his political influence and ill-gotten wealth will not be able to save him. For all you criminal, corrupt politicians who think you’re very clever and will do anything just so you can gain wealth and influence, the minutes are ticking for you too. Naked you came and naked you shall go, all your ill-gotten wealth will remain here on earth. The Nigerian dictator, Sani Abacha stole billions of dollars from the Nigerian people and stashed it outside the country. And then he suddenly died of a heart attack. Nigeria is still negotiating with countries where abacha had hidden his loot, to have the money returned back to their country…

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  16. … “What shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” the bible says. Corrupt criminal politicians stealing people’s money, your time is coming too. God is watching you, and will bring you to judgement. That includes you PF criminals who have been stealing from the Zambian people. Repent of your wickedness.

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  17. This man wasn’t evil as people try to paint him. He was hand picked by paliament as an interim president after difficult period to help bring order and draw a constitution. Who h he did very well and came up the 2 term for president. He stood for the first term and won. The second term he stood again but the opposition realize that they cannot beat him so they started lies about third term. The knew that the first one want a term but an interim . They counted it as aterm in order to confuse the masses . They even sponsored protest ….but since the man was popular their plans failed

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  18. Good riddance! Hopefully the corrupt and inept drunkard and dictator we have for a leader can follow suite.

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  19. Ivo ukko vayamba kumwalil…nibelenga ..next! Didnt any Dictator in Africa hear me – i said “next” to die!

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  20. Presidential jet warming the engine for the journey to Burundi, please please there is corona virus, lets stay home, more over you are already a contact

  21. He didn’t bother wen other pipo were dying bcoz of his violence. Nw hes gone to dust as well. This life guys is not ours. Dont be deceived by the qty of authority or money u hv. Use yo time well so zat u can be remembered well.bt look nw hes gone as a greedy man who didt want to leave power. Someone back hme in zambia shd learn somethig.

  22. dont celebrate the death of yo colleague we o make mistakes in life some of us have bn stealing pa ncito its only that we are not caught, wat you sow is exactly wat you will reap. do unto others wat u want others to do for you

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  23. This dude pulled a finger on the west and asked them to f@#k off. RIP, Pierre, No one will ever erase your memory from African history.

  24. The dictator president of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, has died at the age of 55, No one in his country Burundi is going to miss him expect his circle of pompwe’s. Nkurunziza like” Jameson” ruled his country with impunity for years, arresting opponents, stifling media outlets and cracked down on those who were brave enough to speak out .

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