Évariste Ndayishimiye has been nominated by the ruling party as its candidate for the upcoming presidential election in Burundi, scheduled to be held next year.
The announcement was made by the ruling CNDD-FDD, which confirmed on Sunday that Ndayishimiye will run for a new seven-year term, though no official election date has yet been set.
Ndayishimiye, 57, has led the country since 2020 following the death of longtime former president Pierre Nkurunziza. He expressed gratitude for the endorsement, pledging continuity in governance and national development efforts.
“As you have already seen, with what we have done up to now, I pledge to continue the work we are doing,” he said in a post on X.
A former general and senior figure within the ruling party, Ndayishimiye entered office in an election that was contested by opposition groups and marked by allegations of irregularities, including the exclusion of key rivals.
The opposition, however, has sharply criticised the political environment ahead of the vote. A spokesman for the Movement for Solidarity and Development (MSD), Epitace Nshimirimana, said the upcoming election would fall short of international democratic standards and accused the administration of worsening economic hardship.
“Ndayishimiye has already spent more than five years without providing fuel, foreign currency or basic necessities,” he said, warning that another term would deepen the country’s challenges.
Since taking office, Ndayishimiye has been described as balancing modest political reforms with continued strong executive control in a country still grappling with the legacy of past instability.
Burundi remains one of the world’s poorest nations and has faced sustained criticism from the United Nations and human rights organisations over alleged rights violations.
The country experienced a major political crisis in 2015 following disputed election developments under former president Nkurunziza, triggering widespread unrest, mass displacement, and allegations of severe human rights abuses. Thousands were killed and tens of thousands fled the country during the turmoil, according to international reports.
More recently, the government reported the death of its communications minister in a car accident, though circumstances remain under investigation. In another development, former Prime Minister Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni, who had been serving a life sentence over an alleged coup plot, was released on medical grounds.
Ndayishimiye currently also serves as president of the African Union, a one-year rotating role that began in February.
As the 2026 election approaches, attention is expected to focus on political freedoms, economic conditions, and whether the vote will mark continuity or renewed tensions in Burundi’s fragile democratic landscape.
