Burundian President Nkurunziza Succumbs to Heart Attack

Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza, aged 55, has died of a heart attack, the government has confirmed.

A government statement says that he was admitted to hospital on Saturday after feeling unwell.

In a statement posted on Twitter on Tuesday, the government announced “with great sorrow to Burundians and the international community” the passing of Nkurunziza, 55.

His condition then improved but on Monday he had a cardiac arrest and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Burundi has just come out of an election in which Gen Evariste Ndayishimiye won 68.72 percent of the vote, while opposition leader Agathon Rwasa came in far behind with 24.19 percent.

Ndayishimiye, 52, is a former army general who was handpicked by the ruling CNDD-FDD to replace President Pierre Nkurunziza, who has been in power since 2005 and whose final years in office have been wracked with turmoil.

Nkurunziza was set to hand over power to the president elect.