Burundi president fires Prime Minister amid coup rumours

By Jean Nzosaba, BUJUMBURA Burundi

The National Assembly of Burundi elected, on Wednesday morning, General Gervais Ndirakobuca, as Prime Minister to replace General Alain Guillaume Bunyoni in the wake of rumoured coup.

General Gervais Ndirakobuca was "approved by the deputies by a show of hands to occupy the post of Prime Minister", reported the independent newspaper, SOS/Médias-Burundi. His candidacy was unanimously approved by 113 parliamentarians.

General Gervais Ndirakobuca was hitherto Minister of the Interior, Public Security and Community Development.

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The new Prime Minister was the only candidate proposed for the approval of Burundian parliamentarians by the Head of State, Evariste Ndayishimiye, who convened the meeting urgently at the Kigobe congress center in Bujumbura.

Gervais Ndirakobuca (right) thus takes the place of General Alain Guillaume Bunyoni who has held this position since 2020.

The dismissal of General Alain Guillaume Bunyoni comes days after the head of state said, without naming anyone, that some of his relatives were planning a putsch against him because of his fierce fight against corruption at the top of the state.

According to independent radio Isanganiro, the new prime minister will be sworn in before parliament on Wednesday afternoon. - Africa