SUMMARY

The Military faction (forces of Godefroid Niyombare) was a dissident faction of the Burundian military that unsuccessfully mounted a coup against President Pierre Nkurunziza on 13 May 2015, after protests broke out due to the announcement that Nkurunziza would be running for a third term as president. The Military faction (forces of Godefroid Niyombare) claimed that this was a violation of the Burundian constitution. Accordingly, it took over several state institutions in Bujumbura, including the presidential palace and airport, whilst Nkurunziza was in Tanzania for an East Africa Community meeting. Despite declaring on an independent radio broadcast that Nkurunziza was dismissed, the Government of Burundi denied this and loyal government forces crushed the coup within two days.

Members of the Military faction (forces of Godefroid Niyombare) included a number of senior figures in the state security apparatus including General Cyrille Ndayirukiye and top police commissioners Hermenegilde Nimenya and Zenon Ndabaneze.

Leader of the coup, Godefroid Niyombare held the rank of Major General at the time and had recently served as head of the Intelligence Service, prior to being dismissed for being against President Nkurunziza’s decision to run for a third term. He was the first Hutu to become Chief of the General Staff for the Burundian Army and had been a commander in the CNDD – FDD rebel group, along with Nkurunziza. Following the failure of the coup, Niyombare escaped and formed the armed rebel group Forebu.