List of presidents of Burundi explained
The President of Burundi is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Burundi. The president is also commander-in-chief of the National Defence Force. The office of the presidency was established when Michel Micombero declared Burundi a republic on 28 November 1966.[1] The first constitution to specify the powers and duties of the president was the constitution of 1974, which was adopted in 1976. Written by Micombero, the constitution affirmed his position as the first president of Burundi. The powers of the president derive from the latest constitution, implemented in 2005 as a result of the 2000 Arusha Accords after the Burundian Civil War.[2]
The president's stated role is to represent Burundi's national unity and ensure that the laws and functions of the state are created and executed with full compliance of the constitution. The president has the power to appoint military commanders, ambassadors, magistrates and provincial governors. The president also appoints all judges, including those of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court. The president can organize government and can call for parliamentary sessions under extraordinary circumstances. In addition to promulgating legislation, the president has the power to propose and amend laws, and can veto laws passed by the parliament. A presidential term is seven years,[3] and presidents can serve a maximum of two terms.[4] The president is entitled to a pension after the end of their final term of office.[5]
Nine people have served in the office since Burundi became a republic. Only one president, Pierre Buyoya, has served on two non-consecutive occasions.[6] Sylvie Kinigi was the first and only woman who has served in the role (on an interim basis).[7] The current president, Évariste Ndayishimiye, has been serving in the role since 18 June 2020.
List of officeholders
- Political parties
- Status
- Symbols Died in office
See also
Notes and References
- News: Michel Micombero, 43, dies; Former president of Burundi . . 18 July 1983 . . Section B., p. 5 . 10 July 2024 . live . subscription . https://web.archive.org/web/20230603043412/https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/18/obituaries/michel-micombero-43-dies-former-president-of-burundi.html . 3 June 2023.
- Web site: Manirakiza . Pacifique . The 2005 Constitution of Burundi . . dead . 28 April 2019 . 4 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190904160047/http://www.icla.up.ac.za/images/country_reports/burundi_country_report.pdf.
- News: Burundi Voters Back Constitution Extending Presidential Term . Moore . Jina . 2018-05-18 . . 2019-04-26 . en-US . 0362-4331 . subscription . 12 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240612041149/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/18/world/africa/burundi-constitution-referendum.html . live.
- Legal Loopholes and the Politics of Executive Term Limits: Insights from Burundi . Vandeginste, Stef . 2016 . . 51 . 2 . 39–63 . 10.1177/000203971605100203 . 10 July 2024 . 19 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201119113028/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000203971605100203 . live . 10067/1355460151162165141 . free .
- Web site: 2005 . Burundi's Constitution of 2005 . . 1 July 2024 . 17,20 . 20 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150220125821/https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Burundi_2005.pdf . live.
- News: Biographie de Pierre Buyoya . 18 July 2024 . . 18 April 2001 . fr . Biography of Pierre Buyoya . live . limited . https://web.archive.org/web/20230403223924/https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/2001/04/18/biographie-de-pierre-buyoya_174487_1819218.html . 3 April 2023.
- Web site: Meet the women who became presidents in Africa . 20 March 2021 . . 18 July 2024 . Kinigi ... served as Prime Minister of Burundi... She also served as acting President ... the first and to date only woman to hold these positions in Burundi. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220320020431/https://africafeeds.com/2021/03/20/meet-the-women-who-became-presidents-in-africa/ . 20 March 2022.
- Web site: Necrológicas - Michel Micombero, ex presidente de Burundi . 1983-07-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240712093956/https://elpais.com/diario/1983/07/18/agenda/427327201_850215.html . 2024-07-12 . live . . es . Obituary - Michel Micombero, former president of Burundi . 12 July 2024.
- Web site: Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, ousted Burundian president, dies at 69 . . 5 May 2016 . Emily Langer . 12 July 2024 . subscription . 26 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230326070244/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/jean-baptiste-bagaza-ousted-burundian-president-dies-at-69/2016/05/05/37aca636-12cc-11e6-81b4-581a5c4c42df_story.html . live .
- Web site: Pierre Buyoya, Burundian president who led two coups, dies at 71 . . 18 December 2020 . 12 July 2024 . subscription . https://web.archive.org/web/20240713112654/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/pierre-buyoya-burundian-president-who-led-two-coups-dies-at-71/2020/12/18/1881a866-4179-11eb-9453-fc36ba051781_story.html . 13 July 2024 . live.
- Web site: Burundi profile - Timeline . . 4 November 2022 . 12 July 2024 . 12 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240712092125/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13087604 . live .
- Women Political Leaders - Past and Present . 10.1300/J014v26n03_04 . Farida Jalalzai . . 2004 . 26 . 3–4 . 85–108 . 12 July 2024 . 12 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240712092113/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J014v26n03_04 . live .
- News: Obituary: Cyprien Ntaryamira . Anver Versi . 7 April 1994 . . President of Burundi 1994; ... died Kigali, Rwanda 6 April 1994. 17 July 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240613000613/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-cyprien-ntaryamira-1368521.html . 13 June 2024.
- Web site: Burundi's former leader arrested . . 21 August 2006 . 12 July 2024 . 22 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170822132200/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5271828.stm . live .
- News: Outgoing Burundian president Pierre Nkurunziza dies . 12 July 2024 . . . 9 June 2020 . 10 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710080358/https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/politics-news-pmn/outgoing-burundian-president-pierre-nkurunziza-dies . live .
- Web site: Obituary: Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza . 10 June 2020 . Hamza Mohamed . . 17 July 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240717100323/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/6/10/obituary-burundis-president-pierre-nkurunziza . 17 July 2024.
- Web site: Burundi: la Cour constitutionnelle ordonne l'intronisation du président élu . 12 June 2020 . 23 June 2020 . 24 June 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200624191452/http://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20200612-burundi-la-cour-constitutionnelle-ordonne-intronisation-president-elu . live . fr . Burundi: the Constitutional Court orders the inauguration of the elected president . Radio France Internationale.
