Pierre Nkurunziza, Burundi's president since 2005, died on June 8 at age 55 following a cardiac arrest, ending a 15-year tenure defined by both post-war stabilization and severe political crises.
His presidency began in 2005 amid the aftermath of a civil war that started in 1993 and claimed an estimated 300,000 lives. Nkurunziza initially managed to maintain fragile peace between Hutu and Tutsi factions, though his government later faced widespread corruption allegations.
During his early years, Burundi joined the East African Community in 2007 and deployed troops to the African Union mission in Somalia. However, his 2015 decision to seek a third term triggered a failed coup, leading to widespread violence that killed nearly 2,000 people and displaced over 300,000.
Human rights organizations documented systematic abuses by security forces during his final years, including torture and extrajudicial killings. Nkurunziza's successor, Evariste Ndayishimiye, assumed power in 2020 as the youngest EAC leader, inheriting a nation still grappling with the legacy of his predecessor's rule.
