Burundi Repatriates Former President Pierre Buyoya’s Body
On Tuesday, the body of former Burundian president Pierre Buyoya was brought back to his homeland, over three years after his death in Paris and burial in Mali.
Buyoya, who was recognized for advancing democracy in Burundi but also faced accusations related to the assassination of his successor, died in December 2020 due to Covid-19 at the age of 71. He had been interred in Bamako, Mali, where he served as the African Union’s special envoy to Mali and the Sahel for eight years.
Despite initial resistance due to his controversial legacy, including a life sentence in absentia over the 1993 assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye, Burundian authorities granted permission for his remains to be repatriated. His family stated that this was to honor Buyoya’s last wishes.
The plane carrying Buyoya’s remains landed in Bujumbura, Burundi’s main city, on Tuesday afternoon. His reburial is set for Wednesday in a private ceremony at the family property in Rutovu.
Buyoya, an ethnic Tutsi and army officer, first came to power through a coup in 1987. He stepped down after losing the 1993 democratic election to Melchior Ndadaye. Returning to power in a 1996 coup, Buyoya signed the Arusha Accords in 2000 to end the civil war and left office in 2003 as part of the agreement.
Despite dismissing his trial as a sham, Buyoya resigned from his AU post to focus on clearing his name.
Burundi’s political landscape has been dominated by the CNDD-FDD party since 2005. In 2015, protests and violence erupted over then-president Pierre Nkurunziza’s third-term bid, leading to significant unrest and displacement. Nkurunziza died in June 2020, shortly before Evariste Ndayishimiye took office.
