President Ndayishimiye waves to the crowd in a show of reassurance on his return from New York on 25th September 2023. Photo Burundi Presidency
Rumours of a possible coup dominated the headlines on most Burundian media outlets this past month. The rumours intensified when President Evariste Ndayishimiye left the country on 12 September to attend the G77+China Summit in Havana. Most media platforms reported that the Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Prime Niyongabo is the man seeking to depose the president from his position.
The emergence of the coup rumours was not without cause. Just before he departed to Havana and subsequently New York to attend the 78th United Nations General Assembly, President Ndayishimiye reshuffled the service chiefs’ personnel at the national broadcaster in Burundi. The security changes at the national broadcaster which is notoriously known for being under heavy presidential guard ignited the smoulders which eventually resulted in the coup rumours.
Private media houses in Burundi reported that before departing for Cuba, President Evariste Ndayishimiye had signed a letter dismissing Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Prime Niyongabo, who had held the position since 2015. The reports say the President entrusted Prime Minister Gervains Ndirakobuca to deliver the letter to Niyongabo but the Prime Minister refused.
Burundi’s Ministry of Interior was quick to allay any fears that the public might have and rubbished the coup rumours saying, “Regarding recent rumors, the Ministry of Interior assures all Burundians that there is no cause for concern. Peace and security prevail throughout the country. We urge you to disregard such unfounded claims.” The Ministry issued the statement via its official ‘X’ account (formerly Twitter).
Upon his return to Burundi from New York on September 25, 2023, President Ndayishimiye personally refuted the coup reports.
“The rumours were disseminated by individual’s intent on tarnishing Burundi’s international reputation, they seek to propagate baseless information both domestically and abroad. Inciting unnecessary panic among our citizens by peddling falsehoods about our nation… Where there is strength, evil cannot prevail. In the past, Burundi faced international sanctions, and some sought to tarnish its reputation globally. Now, as they witness these journeys that elevate Burundi’s standing, they perceive it as a catastrophe. They are the ones responsible for fabricating these rumours in an attempt to incite panic among Burundians” he stated.
The President also went on to issue a stern warning to those peddling the coup rumours saying “Have you ever seen a lion baring its teeth? A lion possesses formidable teeth but never flaunts them. A lion knows it is a lion. Our emblem is the lion, and as such, we do not need to boast. We always know where our strength lies,” he remarked.
President Ndayishimiye said that instead of focusing on trivial issues such as rumours, the nation should rather be focused and geared towards working in unison to achieve its goals which include poverty eradication. “While we have faced coup attempts in the past, today our nation enjoys a state of tranquillity and stability. You can rest assured, carry on with your daily lives, and engage in productive work without concern. Those who prefer rhetoric over action are known for spreading rumours… If you continue to pay heed to rumours, we will remain destitute, eventually reliant on foreign assistance,” President Ndayishimiye said.
Coup-related news is not entirely foreign to Burundi, a central African nation that gained independence from Belgium in 1962. The country’s history since gaining independence in 1962 has been marred by presidential assassinations, coup attempts, and ethnic violence.
The most recent unsuccessful coup attempt occurred just last year. Following the coup rumours, President Ndayishimiye was forced to dismiss then-Prime Minister Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni. Though he did not explicitly state that the reason behind Bunyoni’s dismissal was because of the coup rumours, President Ndayishimiye in his first public address after Bunyoni’s dismissal alluded to the rumours. “Do you think an army general can be threatened by saying they will make a coup? Who is that person? Whoever it is should come and, in the name of God, I will defeat him,” the President said.
During his time as the Prime Minister, Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni as described by Africa News was “regarded as the regime’s real number two and the leader of the hardliners among the generals working behind the scenes”.
Ironically, while President Ndayishimiye was facing renewed coup rumours this time around, the man he dismissed last year for fronting the alleged coup attempts Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni was appearing before the courts of law on allegations of “undermining the smooth running of the national economy, and personal enrichment”.
A few years back in 2015, then-former president Pierre Nkurunziza survived a coup after he had attempted to extend his rule by seeking a third term in office. Just like with President Ndayishimiye, the attempted coup on President Nkurunziza occurred when he was out of the country attending an emergency conference in Tanzania.
