Unity Day Burundi – February 5, 2025

History of Unity Day Burundi

Burundi, a landlocked Central-African nation, is influenced by three major ethnicities: the Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa. People of these ethnicities have remained in conflict since the late 16th century. After they became a European colony – first by the Germans, and then by the British – the state became a League of Nations mandate territory of Belgium in 1924.

With this colonization and influence from Europe, it would’ve been expected that – as had been the case in many other countries – ethnic differences would become blurred and the nation would unite against the colonists. In Burundi, sadly, this wasn’t the case, as even in attempts to gain independence, the people did not unite. Instead, different ethnicities staged their own voices in favor of or against the colonists.

Normally, colonists would want to stay, while the locals insist that they leave. In Burundi, however, the reverse was the case: Belgium wanted to leave the territory, but some locals wanted them to stay. Anyway, independence movements from Hutu gained momentum in 1959, and in 1962, Burundi gained independence from Belgium, and with this began a period of instability in the nation.

In the next few years, the country shifted from a constitutional monarchy to a republic, with frequent outbreaks of civil wars and ethnic genocides. In 1987, Major Pierre Buyoya, in a military coup, ousted Col. Bagaza, who had assumed power through the same means. Before reverting to a democratically elected government, Buyoya tried to end the ethnic clashes by bringing in a Charter of National Unity that could end ethnic discrimination and allow the government to formulate a mandate to write a new constitution.

In 1991, a referendum on the charter was held and was approved by 89.77% of voters with a 96% turnout. This much turn-out was not at all expected in a country with such a huge ethnic collision, but it happened; soon, work began on the drafting of a new constitution, which would later be implemented in 1992. Following this, President Buyoya declared February 5 as the National Unity Day to end the at-war ethnic groups of the Tutsi and the Hutu. The dream and effort of President Buyoya were short-lived, as the newly elected Hutu President got assassinated in 1993, and thus began the widespread killing of Tutsis.

In 2015, after a failed coup attempt against him, Pierre Nkurunziza won a third term with 70% votes. He died in 2020 and was succeeded by Evariste Ndayishimiye, who is the current president.