Pierre Nkurunziza in the context of "Ethnic groups in Burundi"

Play Trivia Questions online!

 or

Skip to study material about Pierre Nkurunziza in the context of "Ethnic groups in Burundi"

⭐ Core Definition: Pierre Nkurunziza

Pierre Nkurunziza (18 December 1964 – 8 June 2020) was a Burundian politician, educator, and rebel leader who served as the ninth president of Burundi from 2005 until his death in 2020. He was the longest-serving president in Burundian history, having served for nearly 15 years.

A member of the Hutu ethnic group, Nkurunziza taught physical education before becoming involved in politics during the Burundian Civil War as part of the rebel National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy (Conseil National Pour la Défense de la Démocratie – Forces pour la Défense de la Démocratie, CNDD–FDD) of which he became leader in 2000. The CNDD–FDD became a political party at the end of the Civil War and Nkurunziza was elected president. He held the post controversially for three terms, facing bloody opposition, sparking significant public unrest in 2015.

↓ Menu

👉 Pierre Nkurunziza in the context of Ethnic groups in Burundi

Ethnic groups in Burundi include the three main indigenous groups of Hutu, Tutsi and Twa that have largely been emphasized in the study of the country's history due to their role in shaping it through conflict and consolidation. Burundi's ethnic make-up is similar to that of neighboring Rwanda. Additionally, recent immigration has also contributed to Burundi's ethnic diversity. Throughout the country's history, the relation between the ethnic groups has varied, largely depending on internal political, economic and social factors and also external factors such as colonialism. The pre-colonial era, despite having divisions between the three groups, saw greater ethnic cohesion and fluidity dependent on socioeconomic factors. During the colonial period under German and then Belgian rule, ethnic groups in Burundi experienced greater stratifications and solidification through biological arguments separating the groups and indirect colonial rule that increased group tensions. The post-independence Burundi has experienced recurring inter-ethnic violence especially in the political arena that has, in turn, spilled over to society at large leading to many casualties throughout the decades. The Arusha Agreement served to end the decades-long ethnic tensions, and the Burundian government has stated commitment to creating ethnic cohesion in the country since, yet recent waves of violence and controversies under the Pierre Nkurunziza leadership have worried some experts of potential resurfacing of ethnic violence. Given the changing nature of ethnicity and ethnic relations in the country, many scholars have approached the topic theoretically to come up with primordial, constructivist and mixed arguments or explanations on ethnicity in Burundi.

↓ Explore More Topics
In this Dossier

Pierre Nkurunziza in the context of Gitega

Gitega (French pronunciation: [ɡiteɡa]), formerly Kitega, is the political capital of Burundi. Located in the centre of the country, in the Burundian central plateau roughly 62 kilometres (39 mi) east of Bujumbura, the largest city and former political capital, Gitega is the country's fourth largest city and former royal capital of the Kingdom of Burundi until its abolition in 1966. In December 2018, then Burundian president, the late Pierre Nkurunziza announced that he would follow on a 2007 promise to return Gitega its former political capital status, with Bujumbura remaining as economic capital and centre of commerce. A vote in the Parliament of Burundi made the change official on 16 January 2019, with all branches of government expected to move in over three years.

↑ Return to Menu

Pierre Nkurunziza in the context of Bujumbura


Bujumbura (French pronunciation: [buʒumbuʁa]; Kirundi pronunciation: [buʒuᵐbuɾa]), formerly Usumbura, is the economic capital, former political capital, largest city and main port of Burundi. It ships most of the country's chief export, coffee, as well as cotton and tin ore. Bujumbura was formerly the country's political capital. In late December 2018, Burundian president Pierre Nkurunziza announced that he would follow through on a 2007 promise to return Gitega its former political capital status, with Bujumbura remaining as economical capital and center of commerce. A vote in the Parliament of Burundi made the change official on 16 January 2019, and as of late 2025, the transition is still ongoing, having estimated to end in 2022.

↑ Return to Menu

Pierre Nkurunziza in the context of Burundian Civil War

The Burundian Civil War was a civil war in Burundi lasting from 1993 to 2005. The civil war was the result of longstanding ethnic divisions between the Hutu and the Tutsi ethnic groups. The conflict began following the first multi-party elections in the country since its independence from Belgium in 1962, and is seen as formally ending with the swearing-in of President Pierre Nkurunziza in August 2005. Children were widely used by both sides in the war. The estimated death toll stands at 300,000.

↑ Return to Menu

Pierre Nkurunziza in the context of Pierre Buyoya

Pierre Buyoya (24 November 1949 – 17 December 2020) was a Burundian army officer and politician who served as the seventh president of Burundi from 1996 to 2003. Having previously served as the fifth president from 1987 to 1993, Buyoya was the second-longest-serving president in Burundian history, after Pierre Nkurunziza.

An ethnic Tutsi, Buyoya joined the sole legal party, UPRONA and quickly rose through the ranks of the Burundian military. In 1987, he led a military coup d'état that overthrew his predecessor Jean-Baptiste Bagaza and enabled him to seize power. Leading an oppressive military junta, Hutu uprisings in 1988 led to the killings of an estimated 20,000 people. Buyoya then established a National Reconciliation Commission that created a new constitution in 1992 which allowed for a multi-party system and a non-ethnic government. Running as a candidate in the 1993 Burundian presidential election, he was defeated by Hutu candidate Melchior Ndadaye of the FRODEBU opposition party.

↑ Return to Menu
LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Gitega ← Bujumbura ← Burundian Civil War ← Ethnic groups in Burundi ← Burundi Civil War ← Pierre Buyoya
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
President of Burundi → History of Burundi → Hutu → Physical education → Burundian Civil War → National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy → Political party → Burundian unrest (2015–2018) →