Burundi General Godefroid Niyombare, who
announced the overthrow of the president
Wednesday, is a former spy chief, diplomat
and respected army officer.
An ex-chief of staff of the army and one-time
ambassador to Kenya, Niyombare has a
reputation for professionalism and integrity,
commanding respect among rank and file
soldiers.
During Burundi’s 13-year civil war which
ended in 2006, Niyombare fought alongside
Pierre Nkurunziza, who led the rebel CNDD-
FDD and went on to become president.
With the end of the war Niyombare rose
through the ranks becoming deputy head of
the army and then chief of staff. He also
served as Burundi’s ambassador to Kenya.
In December he was appointed head of the
national intelligence, placing him at the heart
of government affairs and the president’s
powerful security apparatus.
Niyombare’s loyal rise to the top came to an
abrupt end less than three months later when
he was fired in February after privately
opposing Nkurunziza’s intention to run for a
third term.
His deputies at the time, intelligence chief of
staff General Leonard Ngendakumana and
the head of the domestic intelligence
division, General Sylvestre Ndayizeye, were
also sacked.
Critics say Nkurunziza’s third term bid is
against the constitution and the Arusha
peace deal that ended Burundi’s bloody civil
war.
At the time of his sacking, a senior CNDD-
FDD official said Niyombare and his deputies
were punished for asking the president not to
stand for re-election in June.
On Wednesday, while Nkurunziza was in
Tanzania to attend a regional summit on
Burundi’s crisis, the general took to private
radio to announce the president’s removal
from office and the dissolution of his
government.
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