GITEGA, Jan 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Burundi’s ruling party has selected as the former president of the country’s senate to be the new secretary-general.
Reverien Ndikuriyo was picked Sunday by the ruling party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy–Forces for the Defense of Democracy, known by its French acronym CNDD-FDD.
Ndikuriyo was named to the position at the party’s convention in Gitega, Burundi’s capital.
He replaces President Evariste Ndayishimiye who was secretary-general until now. Ndayishimiye, was named to the ruling party’s highest position, chairman of the Council of Elders. That position had been vacant since the death of President Pierre Nkurunziza in June, 2020.
The new secretary-general was the president of Burundi’s senate between 2015 and 2020 and is known as a hardline member of the party who has made hostile speeches against the opposition.
After being elected, Ndikuriyo thanked party members for their trust in him. He also called on Burundian people to support Ndayishimiye in the government’s development and anti-poverty program.
Ndayishimiye told the congress that the central African nation has reached a satisfactory stage in consolidation of good governance and democracy, and the CNDD-FDD has contributed to it a lot.
“Fraternity now characterizes political parties registered in Burundi. They are no longer enemies, but are rather complementary, ” said the president, who was elected the Secretary General of the ruling party in 2016. — NNN-AGENCIES
