Burundi’s president Evariste Ndayishimiye while being driven past the troops during the Independence day celebrations in Bujumbura on July 1st,2020. PHOTO| Presidency
Every July 1st Burundi celebrates its independence day since 1962 from its former colonial masters Belgium, the country had under gone a cumbersome political journey coupled with civil war and ethnic violence that led to thousands of people losing their lives.
Fifty eight years on, the country is now set for a new era and a new leadership led by President Evariste Ndayishimiye who took over the office last month after the unexpected death of the late former president Pierre Nkurunziza.
Evariste who was elected as the successor of late Pierre Nkurunziza took the office two months earlier after the constitutional court ruled him to be sworn in.
“We have taken serious measures to fight the Coronavirus in the country which includes the reduction of soap price by 50 percent,” said Burundi president Evariste Ndayishimiye.
President Ndayishimiye said that water and soap prices will have to be reduced so as all Burundians in the cities and country side can be able to get it at a very low price in efforts to fight the pandemic.
“Business people shouldn’t worry as the government will compensate and pay the 50%,” he added.
Since the pandemic was announced in the country, at least 170 COVID-19 related cases were reported in Burundi and one fatality, the country has taken measures to control the spread of the pandemic including putting the water points on every public buildings and banning handshakes.
But Burundi never took the path that other East African member states took in controlling the spread of the virus that included lockdowns and ban of public transports.
However the country has the least number of COVID-19 cases compared to other five member states of the community.
The Burundi government vowed for a mass COVID-19 tests to be conducted countrywide in efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus in the country.