The President of Burundi Pierre Nkurunziza has died of a heart attack, the government announced on Tuesday.

This was disclosed in a tweet through the government’s official handle.

“With great sorrow to Burundians and the international community,” the statement announced the passing of the President at the age of 55.

The statement added that he was said to have died at Karusi hospital after suffering a heart attack on June 8.

The late President has been in power since 2005.

In 2015, he secured a nomination by his party for a third time which its legality spiked protest that led to the death of many.

In the same year, Godefroid Niyombare led a coup to oust Nkuruziza who was out of the country but faced resistance from Nkurunziza’s loyalists who later restored him after taking back full control on May 15, 2015.

He was re-elected for the third term in July 2015 polls.

In 2018, Nkuruziza announced that he would not contest for another term after 2020 when his tenure would end.

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President Nkurunziza of Burundi dies of ‘heart attack