A report indicates that Major-General Godefroid Niyombare, the leader of the coup against Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza, previously served as an ambassador to Kenya.
Major-General Niyombare announced on radio that President Nkurunziza had been removed from office due to his pursuit of an unlawful third term.
In 2014, Maj Gen Niyombare was appointed ambassador to Kenya. A photo posted by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Facebook shows him presenting his credentials at State House, Nairobi. The photo was captioned: "Receiving credentials from incoming Burundi Ambassador to Kenya H.E Maj. Gen. Godefroid Niombare at State House, Nairobi."
According to reports, Niyombare was seen as a charismatic leader during his time in Kenya, where he raised the profile of the Burundi embassy. He has been described as "a disciplined, lucid, flexible man and a true believer."
Following his departure from the Nairobi post, Niyombare was appointed High Commander of the Burundian army and intelligence chief. However, he was dismissed by Nkurunziza as intelligence chief in February 2015, reportedly due to his opposition to the president's bid for a third term.
Notably, in 2010, Niyombare announced the arrest of 12 soldiers who were allegedly planning a coup against President Nkurunziza near Lake Tanganyika.
The recovered account cited reporting by Nairobi Wire.
