Évariste Ndayishimiye | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ndayishimiye in 2022 | |
| 10th President of Burundi | |
| Assumed office 18 June 2020 | |
| Prime Minister | Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni Gervais Ndirakobuca Nestor Ntahontuye |
| Vice President | Prosper Bazombanza |
| Preceded by | Pierre Nkurunziza |
| First Vice Chairperson of the African Union | |
| Assumed office 15 February 2025 | |
| Chairperson | João Lourenço |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1968 (age 56–57) Giheta, Gitega Province, Burundi |
| Political party | CNDD–FDD |
| Spouse | Ndayubaha Angeline Ndayishimiye |
| Children | 6 |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Burundi |
| Branch | Burundi Army |
| Rank | Major General |
Évariste Ndayishimiye (born 1968) is a Burundian politician who has served as the tenthPresident of Burundi since 18 June 2020. He became involved in the rebelNational Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy during theBurundian Civil War and rose up the ranks of its militia. At the end of the conflict, he entered theBurundian Army and held a number of political offices under the auspices of PresidentPierre Nkurunziza. Nkurunziza endorsed Ndayishimiye as his successor ahead of the2020 elections which he won with a large majority.[1]
Évariste Ndayishimiye was born in 1968 at Musama,Kabanga Zone inGiheta,Gitega Province in Burundi.[2] He is reported to be a "fervent"Catholic.[3] He began studies inlaw at theUniversity of Burundi (UB) but was still studying in 1995 whenHutu students were massacred as part of the inter-ethnic violence which accompanied theBurundian Civil War (1993–2005). He fled and joined the moderate rebelNational Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy (Conseil National Pour la Défense de la Démocratie – Forces pour la Défense de la Démocratie, CNDD–FDD) which drew its support predominantly from ethnic Hutu. Rising up the ranks of the group during the civil war, he presided over its militia and military activities. He gained the nickname "Neva".[2][4]
A series of agreements in 2003 paved the way for the CNDD–FDD to enter national politics as apolitical party. Ndayishimiye became deputychief of staff of theBurundian Army. In 2005, the CNDD–FDD came to power under the leadership ofPierre Nkurunziza whose background was similar and who had also fled UB in 1995.[4] Ndayishimiye served as Minister of the Interior and Public Security from 2006 to 2007 before becoming the personal military aide (chef de cabinet militaire) to Nkurunziza. He held this post until 2014.[4] Alongside his office, he studied at Wisdom University of Africa and gained a degree in 2014. He also chaired theBurundi National Olympic Committee for much of this period.[2]
After rising opposition, Nkurunziza announced in 2018 that he would not stand for a fourth term as president in 2020. Ndayishimiye was the candidate he endorsed as his replacement in the CNDD–FDD and was considered to be a "close ally".[5] It had been reported that Nkurunziza "wanted to run the country from behind the scenes", using Ndayishimiye as apuppet ruler after his resignation.[6] However, it was also noted that Ndayishimiye may have been chosen as a compromise between Nkurunziza and other CNDD–FDD "generals" determined to ensure that a Civil War veteran retained control. Ndayishimiye was "not associated with the worst abuses" under Nkurunziza and was reported to be the most "open" and "honest" candidate within the CNDD–FDD.[7]
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Ndayishimiye wonelections held in May 2020, winning 68 percent of the national vote. However, the fairness of the poll was widely questioned and it occurred in the middle of theCOVID-19 pandemic in Burundi.[8] Nkurunziza died unexpectedly on 8 June 2020. Since Ndayishimiye had already won the elections, theConstitutional Court accelerated his inauguration as president.[9] He was installed at a ceremony inGitega on 18 June 2020, two months ahead of schedule.[7]
Ndayishimiye began his seven-year term on 18 June 2020 and announced hisfirst cabinet on 28 June 2020. He reduced the number of cabinet ministers from 21 to 15 and mainly nominated ex-regime hardliners to take up key positions.[10][11] Ndayishimiye's tenure has been noted to have been less isolationist than his predecessor Nkurunziza's, with Ndayishimiye having made four state visits, including a five-day trip toEquatorial Guinea, and also accommodated a state visit by thePresident of Ethiopia during his first ten months in office.[12]
Initially, Ndayishimiye was more active than his predecessor in pursuing a stronger response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He called the virus the nation's "worst enemy" shortly after taking office.[13] In January 2021, he closed national borders, having previously issued a statement which said that anyone bringingCOVID-19 into Burundi would be treated as "people bringing weapons to kill Burundians".[13] Burundi nonetheless joined Tanzania in February 2021 in being the only African nations to reject vaccines from theCOVAX scheme. Health minister Thaddée Ndikumana stated that "since more than 95% of patients are recovering, we estimate that the vaccines are not yet necessary". Through most of 2021, Burundi apparently made no efforts to procure vaccines—one of only three countries to fail to take this step.[14] However, in October 2021, the Burundian government announced that it had received delivery of 500,000 doses of the ChineseSinopharm BIBP vaccine.[15]
In December 2022, he attended theUnited States–Africa Leaders Summit 2022 in Washington, D.C. hosted by US PresidentJoe Biden.[16]
In July 2023, he attended the2023 Russia–Africa Summit in Saint Petersburg and met withPresident of RussiaVladimir Putin.[17] In the same month, he attended the opening ceremony of the2021 Summer World University Games held inChengdu, China, where on the sidelines of it, he met withGeneral Secretary of the Chinese Communist PartyXi Jinping.[18]
In December 2023, responding to a reporter's question on Western countries pushing for LGBT rights to be respected, Ndayishimiye stated thehomosexuals should be stoned en masse, and that to do so would not be a crime.[19][20] In August 2024, in an Amnesty International report, Amnesty International denounced acts of “intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrests and detentions” targeting activists, journalists and others by the government of Évariste Ndayishimiye.[21] Since 2024 he advocates for private andforeign investment in the tourism branch.[22][23]
On 17 July 2025, Ndayishimiye was designated by theAfrican Union as its special envoy to theSahel region.[24]
Media related toEvariste Ndayishimiye at Wikimedia Commons
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | President of Burundi 2020–present | Incumbent |
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* interim † military | ||
