GITEGA, Burundi
Retired Major General Evariste Ndayishimiye has been sworn in as Burundi's new President at the Ingoma stadium in the capital city, Gitega, a week after the sudden death of outgoing President Pierre Nkurunziza.
Elected in May in a vote disputed by the opposition,
Ndayishimiye was meant to take office in August, but his inauguration was
brought forward after outgoing president Pierre Nkurunziza died from what
authorities say was heart failure.
In his oath Ndayishimiye,
52, pledged to "devote all my force to defending the superior interests of
the nation and ensure the national unity and cohesion of the Burundian people,
peace, and social justice."
A 21-gun salute rang out in the capital Gitega after he
signed the pledge before the 7 members of the constitutional court, before he
inspected the guard and walked around a stadium packed with citizens dressed in
identical outfits.
While guests were made to wash their hands upon entering the stadium, only a few dignitaries wore masks in the upper tiers and no distance was maintained between attendees.
Along with members of the military, police and judiciary,
diplomats and representatives of international organizations were present, but
no international heads of state attended.
Shortly before taking the oath of office, Ndayishimiye
knelt surrounded by the leaders of the Catholic, Anglican, evangelical and
Muslim faiths, who prayed for him.
"Understand that you are a son of God and as such must bring peace among Burundians, you know how much we need it," said the Catholic archbishop of Gitega, Simon Ntamwana.
"Bring back to our country the refugees in the camps,
bring back the intellectuals in exile so that they can take part in the
development of our country, renew ties with the international community so they
can help us develop," he said.
Ntamwana had publicly opposed Nkurunziza's devastating
third-term presidential bid in 2015, which sparked protests and a failed coup,
with violence leaving at least 1,200 dead while some 400,000 fled the country.
Nkurunziza, a devout evangelical who believed he was chosen
by God to lead Burundi, leaves a "dark and sad legacy," Carina
Tertsakian of the Burundi Human Rights Initiative told Agence France-Presse
(AFP).
UN rights investigators have said the period since 2015 has
been marked by likely crimes against humanity committed by state forces, citing
extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests, disappearances, torture and sexual
violence.
Nkurunziza, who ruled the East Africa nation for 15 often tumultuous years, died on June 8 of "heart failure" in a hospital in the eastern city of Karuzi, according to an official statement issued the following day.
But the 55-year-old took ill less than two weeks after his
wife had been flown to a Nairobi hospital for treatment for coronavirus,
according to a medical document seen by AFP, and speculation is rife he may
have caught the virus.
A medical source told reporters he had suffered
"respiratory distress" before dying.
Compared to its neighbors which imposed lockdowns and
curfews – with the exception of equally sceptical Tanzania – Burundi has taken
few measures to combat the COVID-19 virus.
The country last month expelled a team of World Health
Organization (who) experts who were supporting the country's response to the
epidemic.
Ndayishimiye, a former army general and Hutu rebel like his predecessor, had been handpicked by the powerful ruling CNDD-FDD party to run in a May 20 presidential election.
He won the vote with 68.7%, and an opposition bid to have
the results overturned due to alleged fraud was rejected just days before
Nkurunziza's death.
Ndayishimiye is reputed to be more tolerant and open than
his predecessor and is not a regime hardliner.
Observers say the death of Nkurunziza – who was expected to
continue to play a significant role – might give him more independence.
However he will still have to please the powerful group of
generals at the core of the ruling party, who anointed him to succeed
Nkurunziza.
After the news of Nkurunziza's death Ndayishimiye vowed to "continue his high-quality work that he has done for our country."
The change in president also opens up the possibility of
warmer ties with foreign donors, who cut Burundi off after the 2015 crisis.
A source in the French presidency said the country would
work with its European partners and "extend a hand to the new Burundian
president."
"For the first time we will have a leader who is not
just forging ahead regardless of the consequences, wrapped up in divine
faith," the source said.
The government has yet to announce a date for Nkurunziza's funeral. - Africa
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