BUJUMBURA September 30th (ABP) – President Pierre Nkurunziza inaugurated the presidential palace, in the Gasenyi village, Mutimbuzi commune of Bujumbura province (western Burundi) on Friday September 27th. It is a donation from Chinese government. It was inaugurated in the presence of representatives of the diplomatic corps, senior officials of the country and the people, a check by ABP revealed.
In his speech, Chinese Ambassador to Burundi Li Changlin commended the state of Sino-Burundian diplomatic relations, which he said are at a very good level.
He reported that the event took place just a week away from the laying of the foundation stone by President Nkurunziza for the construction of a China-funded hydroelectric dam in Rumonge province (southwest), proving that it remains alongside Burundi in its path towards development.
“China supports Burundi in the fields of electricity, agriculture and health and has just provided Burundi with surveillance equipment for the Ebola virus disease,” said the ambassador Li. He added that China today wants to strengthen China-Africa relations and is committed to implementing the conclusions of the last China-Africa summit.
In his speech, Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza said that the day of September 27, 2019 is an unforgettable day in the history of the country because Burundi has taken a giant step by setting up its own State House, ending to a long period of renting the presidential office. He pointed out that the country will continue that policy of building offices up to the provinces, while thanking those who have already heard that appeal.
President Nkurunziza stressed that Burundi owes that State House to good relations of cooperation with China for 56 years, a country that has stayed with Burundi even during hard times. He made it clear that this House is named after Ntare Rushatsi Cambarantama, the first king of Burundi to whom Burundians owe a lot of merit and who they should identify with.
“Indeed, Ntare Rushatsi Cambarantama unified the country, ending the anarchy between the kinglets. He strengthened family ties, he had been the refuge of the Burundians, he brought peace and justice, the country owes to him the Imana-Umwami-Uburundi motto,” President Nkurunziza explained. For him, Ntare Rushatsi is for Burundians the image of courage and bravery; In short, the arrival of Ntare Rushatsi Cambarantama allowed the country to equip itself with the means to fight against the colonizers and to establish good mores and the good culture of Burundians, he said.
President Nkurunziza recalled that Burundians owe their country to their ancestors and emphasized that today they have understood that they must defend it and do for it what children do for their parents.
He ended his speech by calling on Burundians to build peace and guarantee security, stressing that God will do the rest.