Pierre Buyoya: The soldier who ruled Burundi twice
In 1987, Pierre Buyoya came to power through a military coup that removed President Jean-Baptiste Bagaza.
A former army officer, Buyoya promised political and economic reforms, but Burundi remained deeply divided. His first presidency ended in 1993, after the country held its first democratic elections, which brought Melchior Ndadaye to power.
But after Ndadaye was assassinated later that year and Burundi descended into crisis, Buyoya returned to power in 1996 through another military takeover.
His second term was dominated by the Burundian Civil War, a conflict that caused massive loss of life and displacement. However, Buyoya also became involved in peace negotiations that eventually helped move Burundi toward a political transition.
Pierre Buyoya remains one of Burundi’s most debated leaders seen by some as a stabilizing figure who helped negotiate peace, while others remember him as a military ruler who repeatedly took power outside elections.