List Of Burundi Presidents From 1966 Till Date

Complete List Of Burundi Presidents From 1966 Till Date

Burundi has had nine official presidents since the position was created in 1966, after a coup. Pierre Nkurunziza became president in 2005 and served until he died in 2020, serving twice, in non-consecutive terms. The country has also had one Acting President and one head of state in rebellion.

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Complete List Of Burundi Presidents From 1966 Till Date

No
Name
Tenure
Political Party
1
Michel Micombero
28 November 1966 – 1 November 1976
UPRONA / Military
2
Jean-Baptiste Bagaza
1 November 1976 – 3 September 1987
UPRONA / Military
3
Pierre Buyoya
3 September 1987 – 10 July 1993
UPRONA / Military
4
Melchior Ndadaye
10 July 1993 – 21 October 1993
FRODEBU
5
François Ngeze
21 October 1993 – 27 October 1993
UPRONA / Military
6
Sylvie Kinigi
27 October 1993 – 5 February 1994
UPRONA
7
Cyprien Ntaryamira
5 February 1994 – 6 April 1994
FRODEBU
8
Sylvestre Ntibantunganya
6 April 1994 – 1 October 1994
FRODEBU
9
Pierre Buyoya
25 July 1996 – 11 June 1998
UPRONA
10
Domitien Ndayizeye
30 April 2003 – 26 August 2005
FRODEBU
11
Pierre Nkurunziza
26 August 2005 – 8 June 2020
CNDD–FDD
12
Évariste Ndayishimiye
Since 18 June 2020
CNDD–FDD

Who Was The First President Of Burundi?

Michel Micombero

The first president of Burundi was Michel Micombero. He became president in 1966 after leading a coup that overthrew the monarchy and turned Burundi into a republic.

Michel Micombero was born in 1940 in Rutovu, a commune in the Bururi province, and belonged to the Tutsi ethnic group.

After getting military training, he worked up in the Burundian army and became a key figure in the country’s political scene by 1965.

Micombero’s rise to power began in July 1966, when King Mwambutsa IV, the monarch of Burundi, made him the Prime Minister.

However, just a few months later, in November 1966, Micombero took matters into his own hands. He led a coup that removed the king from power and declared Burundi a republic.

He became the first president of the country and formed a new governing body called the National Revolutionary Council (NRC), which had control over the nation.

During his presidency, Michel Micombero ruled with strong authority and was known for political repression. His government targeted the Hutu population, and there was violence against them.

Micombero’s regime was involved in brutal actions against Hutus, with thousands losing their lives. The government’s policies favored the Tutsi group, leading to ethnic tensions in the country.

Micombero stayed in power until 1976. In that year, he was overthrown in a military coup led by his cousin, Jean-Baptiste Bagaza.

After being removed from office, Micombero fled the country, first to France and then to Somalia. He lived in exile until he died in 1983. Michel Micombero passed away from a heart attack in Mogadishu, Somalia.

READ ALSO: List Of All Egypt Presidents From 1953 Till Date

Who Is The Current President Of Burundi?

Évariste Ndayishimiye

The current president of Burundi is Évariste Ndayishimiye, serving since June 18, 2020, after the sudden death of the former president, Pierre Nkurunziza, just days before Ndayishimiye’s inauguration.

Ndayishimiye was born on June 17, 1968, in Giheta, a town in Gitega Province, Burundi. He grew up during a time of ethnic conflict and civil war, which greatly affected his country.

Ndayishimiye went to the Université du Burundi in 1991 to study law, but his education was interrupted by the civil war in 1993. During the war, Ndayishimiye joined the CNDD-FDD, a rebel group that fought against the government.

After the war ended and peace agreements were signed in 2003, he joined the Burundian Army and took on different roles in the government.

Between 2006 and 2007, he was the Minister of Interior and Public Security. He later became President Nkurunziza’s military aide until 2014.

Ndayishimiye finished his law degree at Université Sagesse d’Afrique in Bujumbura during this time. Ndayishimiye’s political rise continued when he became the Secretary-General of the CNDD-FDD in 2016.

He had a strong relationship with Nkurunziza, who endorsed him as the next president in 2018. In 2020, Ndayishimiye won the presidential election with about 68% of the vote, though there were accusations of fraud and violence.

Just a few days later, Nkurunziza passed away, and Ndayishimiye took office. Ndayishimiye has addressed human rights issues and improved relations with other countries.

One of his key actions was releasing political prisoners and encouraging refugees to return home. Ndayishimiye’s government has also had to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although he initially rejected foreign vaccines, he later took the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine. Ndayishimiye is married to Angélique Ndayubaha Ndayishimiye, an economist, and they have six children. He is known for his strong Catholic faith, which he often mentions as an influence on his leadership.

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