Speaker of the National Assembly, Pascal Nyabenda |
Following the sudden death of Burundi president, Pierre
Nkurunziza, the country’s constitution mandates the Speaker of the National
Assembly to immediately become Interim President in accordance with article 121
of the 2005/2018 constitution.
Pascal
Nyabenda (54) who is the current Speaker of the Burundi National Assembly therefore
has duly assumed the role and powers of the President and will oversee the
transition from this dark period.
Previously, he was President of the CNDD-FDD Parliamentary Group and served as governor of bubanza Province.
Nyabenda was elected to the National Assembly in the June 2015 parliamentary election as a CNDD-FDD candidate, and he was elected by the
deputies as President of the National Assembly on 30 July 2015. There was no other candidate
for the post, and Nyabenda received 101 votes.
President-elect Gen. Maj. Evariste Ndayishimiye cannot take
the oath of office until new senate and national assembly are in place.
Senators have not been elected yet. An interim president has to take over.
Burundi government said
Nkurunziza at 55 succumbed to cardiac arrest while at Karusi hospital. His wife
is also battling Covid-19 at Aga Khan Hospital in Kenya. Their children are
also admitted.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s President, Felix Tshisekedi, has expressed grief at the untimely death of Burundi’s leader Pierre Nkurunziza.
“It is with great emotion and great
consternation that I learned the news of the unexpected death of Burundian
President Pierre Nkurunziza, which occurred yesterday, June 8, 2020. On behalf
of the Congolese people and in my own name, I present my deepest condolences to
the Burundian people, as well as to the biological family of the illustrious
disappeared. May his soul rest in peace,”wrote President Tshisekedi.
Rwanda
President Paul Kagame has also conveyed his condolences to the people of Burundi
and the family of late Nkurunziza.
“On
behalf of Gov’t and my own behalf I sent our condolences to the Gov’t and
People of Burundi for the passing of President Nkurunziza. This also goes to
the family of the President. God Bless!” Kagame posted via his personal twitter
handle.
Presidents Uhuru
Kenyatta of Kenya termed the outgoing Burundi
leader as an outstanding regional counterpart who served his country with
distinction as Head of State and Government, and worked tirelessly for the
peace and stability of his country and the Great Lakes Region.
“Death
had robbed East Africa of a prominent leader whose contribution to the
integration and progress of the region shall be sorely missed, and prayed for
God's calming comfort as the family, people of Burundi and East Africans mourn
their departed leader.” He said.
John Magufuli of
Tanzania said that he will remember Nkurunziza for his tireless efforts to
united a peaceful and democratic Burundi.
Pierre Nkurunziza died three weeks after the election of his successor. A seven-day national mourning from Wednesday has been decided. - Africa
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