Burundi President Nkurunziza dies of heart attack

The government of Burundi has announced the sudden death of President Pierre Nkurunziza.

Mr Nkurunziza died at the age of 55 of a heart attack, according to an official government Twitter account.

“The Government of the Republic of Burundi announces with great sadness the unexpected death of His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi, at the Karusi Fiftieth Anniversary Hospital following a cardiac arrest on June 8, 2020,” the statement read.

There had been speculations about his health in the past 48 hours after his wife was moved to South Africa for COVID19 related illness.

Here is the full statement:

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Pierre Nkurunziza has been ruling Burundi since 2005 and refused to relinquish power, even going as far as altering the constitution to extend his hold on power.

A government statement says that he was admitted to hospital on Saturday after feeling unwell.

His condition then improved but on Monday he had a cardiac arrest and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.