Burundi marks three decades after its first democratically elected president Melchior Ndadaye was assassinated.
One of the highlights of the country’s bloody civil war came in 1993 when Burundi’s first democratically elected and Hutu President was assassinated in Burundi’s capital Bujumbura after three months in the office.
The assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye sparked an ethnic violence with thousands of civilians on both Hutu and Tutsi minority ethnic group losing their lives.
“ His legacy will still be remembered for promoting democracy and love. This should be our path to development while we remain united,” said Burundi president Evariste Ndayishimiye in a tweet now known as X.
After the assassination of now considered democracy hero Melchior Ndadaye, the violence developed into the decade long Burundi civil war that led to the killing of more than 100,000 people.
According to the result released in 1996 by the United Nations in Ndadaye’s murder, the army command was accused of being responsible for the assassination.
Melchior Ndadaye who is considered as the country’s hero was the founder of the Front for Democracy Party (FRODEBU) by then was considered as a Hutu majority party.