BUJUMBURA October 22nd (ABP) – Burundi commemorated on Thursday October 21 the 28th anniversary of the assassination of the national hero of democracy, President Melchior Ndadaye.
The presidential couple along with the 1st lady of Niger, Hadiza Bazoum, the senior executives of the country as well as the representatives of the diplomatic corps in Burundi, enhanced with their presence, the ceremonies marking the commemoration of the 28th anniversary of the assassination of the 1st president democratically elected, Melchior Ndadaye. The ceremonies began with a mass in his memory which was celebrated at the Regina Mundi Cathedral.
In his homily, the vicar general of the archdiocese of Bujumbura, Anatole Ruberinyange noted that two essential words should hold the attention of the faithful, for the passages of the holy scriptures of on October 21, the word of God consecrated by the church every October 21, a word that fits, according to him, with the legacy left by the late Melchior Ndadaye.
The 1st word is that of the “fire” of love kindled by the Holy Spirit. He called out to everyone to turn it on and keep it in his heart. For him this fire cannot be exclusively lit by a single ethnic group but by everyone and will not be integral if he still notices Burundians in exile and people still living apart from others.
The second word is the peace quoted by Jesus Christ, in the Gospel of the day, the vicar Ruberinyange having challenged the Burundians to be true peacemakers, following the example of Jesus Christ.
That servant of God called to pray for our leaders to fulfill the dreams of the hero of democracy, which he was unable to fulfill during his lifetime.
After that mass, the ceremonies continued at the monument of the hero of democracy where wreaths of flowers were laid. This session was opened by the presidential couple who laid the wreath of flowers on the tomb of the late Mr. Ndadaye and that of the unknown martyr, followed by the 1st lady of Niger accompanied by the wife of the Speaker of the National Assembly, the diplomatic representation in Burundi, the widow of the late president Mr. Ndadaye and his family.
Wreaths of flowers were also laid by approved political parties and the Association of Widows and Orphans of Democracy (AVOD).
The ceremonies were closed with the speech of the late President Ndadaye, during the victory of his party, in the presidential elections of 1993.