Burundi on Tuesday marks 65 years since the assassination of Prince Louis Rwagasore, a leading figure in the country’s independence movement who was killed less than a year before Burundi gained independence from Belgian rule.
The United Nations in Burundi joined the country in commemorating the anniversary, recognizing Rwagasore’s role in its struggle for independence.
“On the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the assassination of Prince Louis Rwagasore, hero of Burundi’s independence, the United Nations in Burundi joins the Burundian people in commemorating this historical moment,” the U.N. said.
Rwagasore was assassinated on Oct. 13, 1961, shortly after his party, the Union for National Progress (UPRONA), won legislative elections that advanced the country’s transition toward independence. Burundi gained independence on July 1, 1962.
He had served as prime minister for only a short period before his death, leaving the country’s independence movement without one of its most prominent political leaders at a critical moment in its transition from colonial rule.
The anniversary is observed annually on Oct. 13. Commemorations have included ceremonies at Rwagasore’s mausoleum in Vugizo, Bujumbura, attended by government officials and other representatives.
Rwagasore remains a central figure in Burundi’s national history because of his role in the independence struggle and his assassination on the eve of the country’s emergence as an independent state.
