Domitien Ndayizeye

Who is Domitien Ndayizeye?

Domitien Ndayizeye is a Burundian politician who was President of Burundi from 2003 to 2005. Of Hutu descent, he succeeded Pierre Buyoya—a Tutsi—as national president on April 30, 2003, after serving as Buyoya's vice-president for 18 months. Ndayizeye remained in office until replaced by Pierre Nkurunziza on August 26, 2005.

Under his government, Ndayizeye tried to bridge the gap between the Hutu and the minority Tutsi people of Burundi through cooperation with other presidents in the region such as Museveni of Uganda and Mkapa of Tanzania.

The attack on Congolese Tutsi refugees at the border of Burundi was considered a test of the president's capacity to maintain law and order and stability in the country. He promised swift retaliation and that the culprits would be apprehended.

In 2004, Ndayizeye proposed a draft constitution to the parliament prior to it being put to the electorate in referendum later in the year. Relations with the Tutsi group were strained, reflected in their boycotting of the legislative session due to consider the proposal. Due to a lack of preparation, the ballot was postponed to late November 2004.

Burundi is still trying to emerge from a civil war that began in 1993 when several groups drawn from the large Hutu majority took up arms against a government and army then dominated by a Tutsi elite.