Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza
Summit, embattled Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza yesterday skipped the meeting, instead sending the country’s vice president.
Joseph Butore yesterday had to fill in the shoes of his embattled
leader who has not travelled outside his country since May, last year.
President Nkurunziza was forced to dodge the EAC extraordinary
summit in Dar es Salaam last year when Godefroid Niyombare, a Burundian
military officer led a coup attempt against him on May 13, 2015.
Speaking from a private radio station, Niyombare announced that he
was deposing the President, who was at the time attending talks in
Tanzania.
On the streets, people opposed to Nkurunziza celebrated the
announcement, and despite government denials, initial reports suggested
that Niyombare's coup had been successful.
Nkurunziza promptly tried to return home but was apparently unable
to do so due to rebel control of Bujumbura International Airport.
On Tuesday afternoon, a source from the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Regional and International Cooperation confided to The Guardian
that they were yet to receive confirmation from the embattled leader’s
delegation in Bujumbura on whether he would make it to the crucial
meeting.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
