Godefroid Niyombare
{{short description|Burundian military officer}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = General
|name=Godefroid Niyombare
|order=Ambassador of Burundi to Kenya
|term_start = February 2014
|term_end = December 2014
|predecessor = Ezéchiel Nibigira
|successor = Béatrice Kankindi
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1969|10|18|df=yes}}{{Cite web| title=Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Burundi | url=https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/13712.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012233616/https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/13712.pdf | archive-date=2016-10-12}}
|birth_place=
|allegiance={{flag|Burundi}}
|serviceyears= until 2015
|branch=Burundi Army
|rank=Major general
}}
Godefroid Niyombare (born 1969) is a Burundian military officer who led a coup attempt against President Pierre Nkurunziza on 13 May 2015. At the time of the coup attempt, Niyombare was a Major General. He previously served as military chief of staff and as Burundi's Ambassador to Kenya,{{cite web|url=http://fr.igihe.com/spip.php?page=mv2_article&id_article=8858|language=French|publisher=IGIHE|date=21 February 2014|title=Général Major Godefroid Niyombare, nouvel ambassadeur du Burundi au Kenya}}{{cite web|url=https://bujanews.wordpress.com/2014/12/13/approbation-de-lambassadeur-du-burundi-au-kenya/|language=French|publisher=Bujanews|date=31 December 2014|title=Approbation de l'ambassadeur du Burundi au Kenya}} and was head of the National Intelligence Service (Service national de renseignement, SNR) from December 2014, when he replaced Adolphe Nshimirimana, until February 2015, when he was dismissed by Nkurunziza and replaced by Major-General Moïse Pasteur Bucumi.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/05/13/world/africa/ap-af-burundi-political-tensions.html?_r=1|title=Police Vanish From Burundi Capital; Coup Attempt Celebrated|agency=The Associated Press|newspaper=The New York Times|accessdate=13 May 2015|date=13 May 2015}}{{cite web|title=Burundi Army Officer Says He Has Deposed President, Crowds Cheer|first=Njuwa|last=Maina| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-burundi-politics-idUSKBN0NY0O020150513|accessdate=13 May 2015|date=13 May 2015|publisher=Reuters.com}}{{cite web|first=Desire| url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-13/burundi-army-officer-announces-coup-in-broadcast-on-state-radio|title=Burundi Ex-Intelligence Chief Announces Coup After Protests|last=Nimubona|accessdate=13 May 2015|date=13 May 2015|publisher=Bloomberg News}}{{cite web|url=http://www.iwacu-burundi.org/le-general-major-godefroid-niyombare-chef-du-service-national-des-renseignements-snr-limoge/|title=Le Général-Major Godefroid Niyombare chef du service national des renseignements (SNR) limogé|language=French|date=18 February 2015|publisher=Iwacu}}{{cite web|url=https://www.voaafrique.com/a/le-general-niyombare--a-la-tete-de-la-nouvelle-rebellion-au-burundi-/3156081.html|language=French|publisher=Voice of America|date=21 January 2016|title=Le général Niyombare à la tête de la nouvelle rébellion au Burundi}}
Military career
During the Burundi Civil War, he was a Hutu commander in the CNDD-FDD rebel group and was involved in peace talks with the FNL rebel group.{{cite news|title=Ex- Hutu rebel voted army chief|url=http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Ex-Hutu-rebel-voted-army-chief-20090416|accessdate=14 May 2015|work=news24|date=17 April 2009}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32731554|title=Burundi coup bid: President Nkurunziza's return 'thwarted'|work=BBC|date=14 May 2015}}
After the civil war, Niyombare was a top army officer under President Nkurunziza, who nominated him as army chief of staff. Niyombare was confirmed in that post by a vote of the Senate on 16 April 2009. He was the first Hutu to head the army.
During the African Union Mission to Somalia, Niyombare oversaw military efforts, with 4,400 Burundian troops deployed in March 2011.{{cite news| url=https://af.reuters.com/article/burundiNews/idAFLDE72B08T20110312 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902150610/http://af.reuters.com/article/burundiNews/idAFLDE72B08T20110312 | url-status=dead | archive-date=September 2, 2012 | work=Reuters | title=Burundi sends 1,000 extra AU troops to Somalia | date=March 12, 2011}} Niyombare said on 14 March 2011 that the soldiers had been deployed a week before.AFP 14/3/2011, reported in ARB-PSC March 1–31, 2011, p.18776C.
In late 2014, Niyombare was appointed as head of the National Intelligence Service (SNR). He served in that post for only three months, as he was dismissed by Nkurunziza in February 2015. His dismissal occurred after the leaking of a 10-page memo he wrote arguing against Nkurunziza's controversial plans to run for a third term.{{cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/burundi-coup-leader-niyombare/2766312.html|title=Expert: General Behind Burundi Coup is Well Respected|work=VOA News|date=13 May 2015}}
=May 2015 coup attempt=
{{main|2015 Burundian coup d'état attempt}}
In the midst of protests against Nkurunziza's bid for a third term, which many viewed as unconstitutional, Niyombare announced from a private radio station on 13 May 2015 that he was deposing the President, who was at the time at talks in neighboring Tanzania. Speaking alongside other top officers, he blamed Nkurunziza for causing the situation by pursuing his controversial presidential candidacy. On the streets, people opposed to Nkurunziza celebrated the announcement, and despite government denials, initial reports suggested that Niyombare's coup had been successful. Nkurunziza promptly tried to return home, but was apparently unable to do so due to rebel control of the Bujumbura airport.
Nkurunziza loyalists resisted and declared that the coup had been defeated. On 14 May, rebel soldiers attacked the state radio and television broadcaster, but they were repelled by loyalist forces. In the wake of this failure, the coup crumbled. Early on 15 May, Niyombare said that he and the other coup leaders had decided to surrender to government forces. Niyombare said that he hoped the loyalists would not kill them.[http://www.france24.com/en/20150515-burundi-coup-failed-president-nkurunziza-returns-home "Burundi coup chief Niyombare says putsch plotters surrender"], AFP, 15 May 2015. The government announced that he had been captured but that statement was retracted later that day.Goran Tomasevic, [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-burundi-politics-idUSKBN0NY0O020150515 "Burundi says it arrests leader of failed coup"], Reuters, 15 May 2015.
References
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Category:Burundian military personnel