Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza died on Tuesday a lonely man, having alienated himself from regional leaders, save for President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Save for Tanzania, which it shares a border with and depends on for imports, during his five years of isolation from his regional peers, Mr Nkurunziza maintained an open line of communication with Kenya, in what diplomatic chatter described as his “trust on Kenya’s leader’s apolitical stance” during the 2015 conflict.
A week after the failed 2015 coup, it was President Kenyatta who would maintain a direct line of communication with Mr Nkurunziza, conveying to him the thoughts of his regional peers, including asking for a postponement of the 2015 elections, a request the Burundi leader turned down.
After the election and solidifying his grip on power, Mr Nkurunziza’s key allies, including top military officials, ministers and key government officials, would take advantage of Kenya’s embrace, and have unfettered access to the country, including its healthcare.
On Tuesday, President Kenyatta said that the death of President Nkurunziza was a big blow, as it had “robbed East Africa of a leader whose contribution to the integration and progress of the region shall be sorely missed.”
