Burundian President, Evaritse Ndayishimiye, has replaced Alain Guillaume Bunyoni as Prime Minister following allegations that powerful individuals want to oust the former.
Just when it all seemed calm, Burundi’s political tensions have risen again, following suspicions some senior leaders were plotting a coup against President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
The new PM is Lt Gen Gervais Ndirakobuca alias Ndakugarika, who has been Minister of Internal Affairs and General Development since 2020.
Burundian parliament has confirmed the appointment made by General Neva with 100% of votes on Wednesday morning. It is expected Ndirakobuca will swear in this afternoon.
It is not yet clear if the powerful Bunyoni will be given another position in government.
On Friday last week, President Ndayishimiye, while addressing government officials in the capital Gitega, warned “some individuals” who he did not name are threatening to overthrow his government, just after two years in the office.
“Do you think an army general can be threatened by saying they will make a coup d’état? Who is that? Whoever it is should come and in the name of God I will defeat him,” Mr Ndayishimiye warned.
The Burundian president expressed his frustration in the country’s political capital after video clips circulated on social media showing the country’s Prime Minister Alain Guillaume Bunyoni lamenting about “individuals who are backbiting” instead of telling things straight away.
Burundi has witnessed three coups, two presidential assassinations, in addition to the failed coup in 2015 that plunged the country into deadly unrest.
