Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza has died aged 55 years weeks after his wife was rushed to Nairobi over Covid19. According to official communication from Burundi Authorities, Nkurunziza succumbed to heart attack; a situation they report was unprecedented given his vibrant health.
Pierre who rose to political stardom in the 1993-2005 era has been holding the reigns for the past 15 years. He was allegedly the kind of leader who never tolerated rebels and negative critics. Having had a background of being a rebel leader back in the day, president Pierre reportedly restricted free speech by raining on the parade of International journalists.
For political experts, the late Burundi President Pierre was a populist who commanded massive rallies during political seasons across the small landlocked nation. He was said to rule with an iron fist, fostering an almost non-existent economically viable nation.
Pierre was reportedly a sore sight for the elite group in the country’s capital, Bujumbura but charmed his was with the hearts of the poor majority in rural areas. The sheer hate of the politically woke city dwellers is said to have encouraged Pierre’s disdain for Bujumbura.
Although his record for fostering democracy and freedom of expression is hollow and questionable, the late president is said to have resonated tightly with poor Burundians. He spent most of his time with farmers in rural areas planting avocadoes earning him the title ‘Avocado President.’
A religious fanatic by nature, many will remember Pierre as the President who spent quality time organizing prayer meetings that could sometimes last up to 2am. Pierre’s sudden demise has left the country battling two losses; the death of a president and Covid19 which threatens to sweep humanity.