Sylvestre Ntibantunganya | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ntibantunganya in 1994 | |
| 6th President of Burundi | |
| In office 6 April 1994 – 25 July 1996 | |
| Prime Minister | Anatole Kanyenkiko (1994–1995) Antoine Nduwayo (1995–1996) |
| Preceded by | Cyprien Ntaryamira |
| Succeeded by | Pierre Buyoya |
| President of the National Assembly of Burundi | |
| In office 23 December 1993 – 30 September 1994 | |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burundi | |
| In office 10 July 1993 – 22 December 1993 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 May 1956 Commune of Gishubi, Gitega, Burundi |
| Political party | Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU) Burundi Workers' Party (UBU) |
| Spouse(s) | Eusébie Nshimirimana (until 1993) Pascasie Minani (from 1995) |
| Occupation | Politician • Author |
Sylvestre Ntibantunganya (born 8 May 1956) is a Burundian politician. He was President of the National Assembly of Burundi from 23 December 1993 to 30 September 1994, and President of Burundi from 6 April 1994 to 25 July 1996 (interim to October 1994).
A Hutu, Ntibantunganya became involved in politics in the 1970s, eventually joining the Marxism-influenced Burundi Workers' Party (UBU) before leaving it to cofound the Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU) in 1986. After working as a journalist for Burundi National Radio and Television during the 1980s, Ntibantunganya was elected to Burundi's National Assembly following FRODEBU's victory in the country's multiparty elections in June 1993 over the Union for National Progress (UPRONA), the Tutsi dominated-party that had ruled Burundi as a one-party state since 1966. He was named Minister of Foreign Affairs the following month under Burundi's new president, party-mate Melchior Ndadaye.
Ndadaye's assassination during a coup attempt in October after three months in power provoked the Burundian Civil War between Tutsis and Hutus. During this time, he was named President of the National Assembly two months later. The assassination of Ndadaye's successor Cyprien Ntaryamira in April 1994 made Ntibantunganya the interim president in the midst of the civil war, becoming the permanent President in October of that year.
During the war, he was overthrown during a coup in 1996, and was replaced by former UPRONA president Pierre Buyoya. Following the end of the war in 2005, Ntibantunganya became a senator for life under the civil war's peace accords until 2018. He also ran as an unsuccessful candidate in the 2015 Burundian presidential election.