Close aide to Burundian president killed in Bujumbura

Sunday, 02 August 2015 12:13 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 03 August 2015 9:33 AM ]

Adolphe Nshimirimana (seen), a top Burundian general and close aide to the president, Pierre Nkurunziza, was assassinated in the capital, Bujumbura, on August 2, 2015.

A top Burundian general and close aide to President Pierre Nkurunziza has been assassinated in the capital, Bujumbura, amid an ongoing political upheaval in the country.

According to some reports, Adolphe Nshimirimana was killed along with his driver after two rockets hit his car in the area of Kamenge in the capital on Sunday morning.

Police sources said that the car of the Burundian general was sprayed with machine gunfire.

More violence to come?

Willy Nyamitwe, the presidency’s communications chief, confirmed that the general, who was a former army chief of staff and worked at the presidency, had been killed.

A source in the presidency, speaking on condition of anonymity, also described the situation in the crisis-hit central African country as “serious.”

“The situation is very serious. The general was somebody who was essential in the system,” said the source, adding, “We are trying to manage the situation but it is not easy. Our boys want to take revenge.”

Burundian servicemen run along a car as they guard the Burundian president’s convoy in Cibitoke Province, July 17, 2015. (© AFP)

Police sources also said that at least seven people have been arrested in relation to the assassination.

No group has claimed responsibility for the assassination yet.

Beginnings of unrest

Nkurunziza won a new term in office in a highly controversial election on July 21. Demonstrations against Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term in office left some 80 people killed in the run-up to the polls, with opponents asserting that another tenure for the head of state would violate a constitutional two-term limit. Nkurunziza counters by citing his first-term election procedure, which did not involve a popular vote.

On July 27, the United Nations (UN) mission tasked with monitoring Burundi’s presidential election dismissed the poll’s results. Burundi’s main opposition leader, Agathon Rwasa, also called for a new election following Nkurunziza’s victory.

There are fears that the incident will trigger a new wave of conflict in the country. Earlier, a coup attempt againt Nkurunziza failed when loyalists acted quickly to arrest a rebellious faction of military forces.

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