Burundi : in very critical condition, the secretary general of the CNDD-FDD was evacuated abroad

Reverien Ndikuriyo, secretary general of the CNDD-FDD (ruling party) suddenly fell ill on Thursday. From Ngozi (northern Burundi), he was transferred to Bujumbura (commercial capital), before being evacuated to Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. He was reportedly poisoned.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Reverien Ndikuriyo had gone to Ngozi as part of a three-day crusade that was organized by his party. He did not participate in the prayer sessions that took place in a local Catholic parish and at a provincial stadium. The event will last three days.

According to our sources, Mr. Ndikuriyo was assisted by the health department of President Evariste Ndayishimiye, before transferring him to the commercial city of Bujumbura where the United Nations agencies and the central administration are concentrated. The presidential couple are participating in the crusade.

“He fell ill and was quickly evacuated to Bujumbura, it was around 11 p.m. on Thursday,” indicate our sources who specify that he was bedridden at the Tanganyika Care Polyclinic hospital.

On the morning of this Friday, Révérien Ndikuriyo was evacuated to Nairobi, Kenya for intensive care.

The deputy secretary general of the ruling party called on members of the former Hutu rebellion to “pray for our leader”.

Cyriaque Nshimirimana did not, however, give details on the state of health of the leader of the ruling party. He made the statement from Ngozi in the crusade.

Cause of the illness

Neither the illness nor its cause have yet been revealed. But according to sources not yet verified by our editorial staff, “a powdered poison was allegedly put in his vehicle”.

“One of his bodyguards died around 1:00 a.m. this Friday”, we learned.

“The driver and a policeman who were sitting on the front benches were arrested by the intelligence services yesterday at 6:00 p.m.”, say sources within the CNDD-FDD.

Sources not yet confirmed by SOS Médias Burundi speak of a probable “transfer to Russia or an Asian country”. Révérien Ndikuriyo had refused “to be evacuated two days ago”, according to our sources.

The secretary general of the CNDD-FDD had started “feeling unwell a few days ago, while he was on a work mission in Tanzania,” reveal sources close to the ruling party.

Sources close to the Burundian embassy in Kenya confirmed to SOS Médias Burundi the evacuation of the leader of the former Hutu rebellion, without however wanting to specify the details on the hospital where he is bedridden.

A faithful among the faithful of the former Burundian president Pierre Nkurunziza who died unexpectedly, after an evacuation while he was also in Ngozi in June 2020, Révérien Ndikuriyo is known for “his sulphurous statements” towards opponents.

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Révérien Ndikuriyo, secretary general of the CNDD-FDD who was evacuated to Nairobi on January 24, 2025 (SOS Médias Burundi)