Bujumbura, Dec 18 (UNI) Former President of East African nation of Burundi, Pierre Buyoya, has died at the age of 71 after succumbing to the Covid-19 disease, Willy Nyamitwe, the head of Information and Communications Division of Burundian President's Office, said on Friday.
The ex-president reportedly passed away on Thursday.
"The death of the former President @PierreBuyoya is confirmed, there is no longer any doubt," Nyamitwe tweeted.
Buyoya ruled the country twice — from 1987-1993, and then from 1996-2003.
He came to power after ousting then-President Jean-Baptiste Bagaza and setting up the Third Republic of Burundi instead of the Second one.
He lost the 1993 election, followed by the civil war, during which the national army assassinated Melchior Ndadaye, then-head of state.
Buyoya returned to power in 1996 in a military coup, creating an ethnically balanced government, which at some point deescalated the country-wide conflict.
He handed over power in 2003.
In October this year, the country's top court sentenced Buyoya to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of the 1993 killing of President Ndadaye.
UNI XC-GNK 1611