29 Facts About Sylvestre Ntibantunganya

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was born on 8 May 1956 and is a Burundian politician.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya 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.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was named Minister of Foreign Affairs the following month under Burundi's new president, party-mate Melchior Ndadaye.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya ran as an unsuccessful candidate in the 2015 Burundian presidential election.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was born on 8 May 1956 in the Commune of Gishubi, Gitega Province.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya left after his first semester and then attended university.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya graduated in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in history and geography and sought out a teaching position but could not obtain one.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was sponsored by one of the founding members and after three months became a full member of the party.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya served on the panel, which produced a Charter of National Unity, but it was denounced by Hutu members of the political opposition for being dominated by Tutsis and presenting an elitist point of view of the country.

In Burundi's legislative elections held on 29 June 1993, Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was elected to a seat in the National Assembly representing Gitega.

The president's wife called Sylvestre Ntibantunganya called to warn him about the putsch.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya called the charge d'affaires at the United States embassy and extracted his assurances that the United States government would condemn the coup.

Distrustful of his military guard, Sylvestre Ntibantunganya changed into his gardener's clothes and walked to a friend's home, where he remained in hiding for the next two days.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya subsequently found refuge at the French embassy with Kinigi and other government officials.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya later recalled the night of the coup as his saddest memory.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya resigned as Minister of Foreign Affairs on 22 December 1993.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya attributed Ntaryamira's death to "the facts of circumstance" and believed that he was not the target of the assassination.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya lacked experience in either business or government, in making quick, firm decisions.

In early February 1995 Sylvestre Ntibantunganya dismissed two UPRONA ministers after they failed to show up to a cabinet meeting.

Under pressure from UN and domestically, Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was forced to let the arms be delivered.

When Sylvestre Ntibantunganya attempted to attend a funeral for them three days later the crowd of mourners attacked him with stones, forcing him to evacuate via helicopter.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya then obtained intelligence which suggested his life was threatened.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya refused to resign but asked for refuge at the United States Ambassador's residence, which was granted.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya announced the suspension of the constitution, the dissolution of the National Assembly, and the banning of political parties, but declared that he would guarantee Ntibantunganya's safety.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya later entered negotiations with Buyoya, who agreed to provide him with a home in the Bujumbura suburb of Kiriri.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya served as a senator for life as a former head of state from the implementation of the Arusha Accords until August 2018.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was a candidate in the 2015 Burundian presidential election.

In 1999 Sylvestre Ntibantunganya released his first book, Democratie pour tous les Burundais, published by L'Harmattan.

Sylvestre Ntibantunganya spent 14 years writing another book, Burundi, Democratie piegee, which he published in 2019.