Buyoya, Pierre (1949- )

Burundian soldier and head of state 1987-93. In 1987 he led a military coup against his close colleague President Jean-Baptiste Bagaza. A member of the Tutsi ethnic group, Buyoya promised fairer treatment for the Hutu majority. However, only a few months later thousands of Hutus were killed by Tutsis, and in 1991 Buyoya was forced to move towards a multiparty democracy. A coup in 1992 led by the former foreign minister failed. Buyoya continued to press for greater democracy, and this led to the elections that brought to power Burundi's first Hutu president, Melchior Ndadaye.