War-ravaged Burundi’s transitional president, Domitien Ndayizeye, said on Monday he would retire from politics at the end of his term in office, which is due to expire in April 2005.
”The last 18 months have been very tiring. I feel old enough not to continue in politics,” Ndayizeye, who is 52, told reporters.
Ndayizeye assumed the presidency in April 2003, at the start of the second half of a three-year transition period desiged to steer the central African country out of a devastating civil war that broke out in 1993.
He was due to have been replaced by an elected president by November 1, but lack of preparations have led to the posponement of a series elections meant to cap the transition period.
The presidential election is due in April 2005 and will be conducted among legislators.
Ndayizeye is constitutionally barred from running next year and told journalists ”officially” that he would not run in 2010’s presidential election, when all eligible adults will take part in the poll.
Asked what he would do after April, the president, who trained as a mechanical engineer, said ”I plan to get out my screwdriver.” – Sapa-AFP