The court’s ruling comes after a council of minister’s meeting resorted for the country’s constitutional court to declare the position of president is vacant and announce who to take over. PHOTO|FILE.
Burundi’s constitutional court ruled last Friday 12th June that the president elect Evariste Ndayishimye should take oath as soon as possible.
The court’s ruling comes after a council of minister’s meeting resorted for the country’s constitutional court to declare the position of president is vacant and announce who to take over.
Burundi’s 2018 constitution Article 121 indicates that “In case of vacant caused by resigning, death or any other cause by the president then the Speaker of the National Assembly (Parliament) takes over the interim until a new president is elected.”
However, currently Burundi is fresh from the general elections that saw the ruling party CNDD-FDD’s candidate Evariste Ndayishimye win by 68% of the votes.
“Considering the case the election of the new president was already concluded as I indicated. Considering the objective of the interim is for the existence of the new president elected…the interim is not necessary should and should proceed as soon as possible to take oath the president elect Evariste Ndayishimiye,” said the constitutional court president Charles Ndagijimana.
The country’s leading opposition leader Agathon Rwasa garnered 23% of the votes, early this month the constitutional court upheld the electoral results after Mr. Rwasa who is also the deputy speaker of the national assembly contested the results accusing the ruling party of rigging elections.
As flags are flying at half-mast in all the East African Community member states paying the last respect to the late president Pierre Nkurunziza, more messages of condolence from the world leaders continue poured in.
Burundi president Pierre Nkurunziza suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday 8th June morning after feeling unwell on Saturday night. The government spokesman Prosper Ntahorwamiye said that the president was in good health on Saturday but later on Saturday night he was rushed to the hospital in Karuzi province after feeling unwell.
President Pierre Nkurunziza was expected to end his term in the office in August where the country awaited to witness the first ever peaceful and democratic transition of power since her independence in 1962.