After many months of speculation on his availability for the much awaited EAC Heads of State Summit, embattled Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza yesterday skipped the meeting, instead sending the country’s vice president.
Joseph Butore yesterday had to fill in the shoes of his embattled leader who has not travelled outside his country since May, last year.
President Nkurunziza was forced to dodge the EAC extraordinary summit in Dar es Salaam last year when Godefroid Niyombare, a Burundian military officer led a coup attempt against him on May 13, 2015.
Speaking from a private radio station, Niyombare announced that he was deposing the President, who was at the time attending talks in Tanzania.
On the streets, people opposed to Nkurunziza celebrated the announcement, and despite government denials, initial reports suggested that Niyombare's coup had been successful.
Nkurunziza promptly tried to return home but was apparently unable to do so due to rebel control of Bujumbura International Airport.
On Tuesday afternoon, a source from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional and International Cooperation confided to The Guardian that they were yet to receive confirmation from the embattled leader’s delegation in Bujumbura on whether he would make it to the crucial meeting.
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