Burundi puts president-elect Evariste Ndayishimiye in charge

Evariste Ndayishimiye

Burundi's President-elect Evariste Ndayishimiye

Burundi’s President-elect Evariste Ndayishimiye

Burundi has decided to put president-elect Evariste Ndayishimiye in charge following the death of sitting president Pierre Nkurunziza.

The country’s Constitutional Court announced on Friday that the president-elect would take charge.

Evariste Ndayishimiye, who won the presidential election in May, was due to take over in August.

But he would be sworn in as soon as possible, the court said at a press conference.

A date for the ceremony has not yet been given.

Nkurunziza, who had ruled the tiny East African country since 2005, died suddenly on Tuesday of cardiac arrest at the age of 55.

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