A senior Burundi army officer said on Wednesday he was dismissing Pierre Nkurunziza as president because his bid for a third term violated the constitution, and soldiers surrounded the state broadcaster building in the capital.
The presidential office quickly rubbished the declaration by Major General Godefroid Niyombare, who was fired by Nkurunziza as intelligence chief in February, as “a joke”.
Niyombare made his declaration to reporters at a military barracks in the capital, while the president was out of the country at an African summit on the crisis.
Godefroid Niyombare previously served as an ambassador to Kenya.
Soldiers surrounded the offices of the national broadcaster in the capital, Bujumbura.
In a radio broadcast, Gen Niyombareh said: “The masses have decided to take into their own hands the destiny of the nation to remedy this unconstitutional environment into which Burundi has been plunged.
“The masses vigorously and tenaciously reject President Nkurunziza’s third-term mandate… President Pierre Nkurunziza has been relieved of his duties. The government is overthrown.”
Gen Niyombareh’s “national salvation committee” comprises at least five other army and police generals.
President Nkurunziza is currently at a summit in Tanzania discussing his decision to run for a third term, which critics say is unconstitutional.
“Regarding President Nkurunziza’s arrogance and defiance of the international community which advised him to respect the constitution and Arusha peace agreement, the committee for the establishment of the national concord decide: President Nkurunziza is dismissed, his government is dismissed too,” he said.
