This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
June 18, 2020 - In a surprise move, the newly elected president of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye, has been sworn in two months earlier than scheduled following the death of former president Pierre Nkurunziza.
Ndayishimiye, a 52-year-old retired army general, won the May presidential election with 69% of the votes, defeating opposition candidate Agathon Rwasa and five other contestants.
According to the ruling made by the constitutional court on Friday, the new president should be sworn in immediately following the death of Nkurunziza earlier this month.
However, the court dismissed petitions from the opposition challenging the previous elections on the basis that it was marred with violence and intimidation.
During Nkurunziza's regime, Ndayishimiye served as the minister of interior and security, a position that has been linked to human rights abuses, including gang-raping, torturing, and killing political opponents.
Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the African continent, and the country has faced international criticism for its human rights record and authoritarian rule.
