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Burundi gov't condemns assassination of former minister

Xinhua, July 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Burundian government has condemned with its "last energy" the assassination, on Wednesday morning, of Hafsa Mossi, former Burundi government minister and current MP at the regional parliament, the Burundian government said in a statement.

"The Burundian government condemns with its last energy perpetrators of the assassination of Hafsa Mossi. This is not the first time political figures are killed in Burundi," said Burundian Government Spokesman Philippe Nzobonariba.

According to him, Burundi has lost a person who "worked hard and defended Burundi within the East African Community (EAC) for the country's effective integration in the Community."

Lawmaker and former minister Hafsa Mossi was shot by two unidentified gunmen at Nyankoni Avenue in Gihosha in the north of the Burundian capital Bujumbura, near her home.

Hafsa Mossi had left home and was driving along Nyankoni Avenue in Bujumbura when she was ambushed by gunmen.

Burundian Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said that Hafsa Mossi died later when she was evacuated to hospital.

"We (the government) call on the police and the judiciary to conduct urgent investigations to identify killers and to bring them before trial," said Nzobonariba.

He urged people still keeping illegal arms to hand over them voluntarily to security forces and to consolidate joint security committees to counter further crimes.

Hafsa Mossi occupied several high posts in the Burundian government and at the Burundian president's office.

In 2005, she was appointed as the spokeswoman for Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza, then served as Burundi's minister for information and East African Community (EAC) affairs before joining the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) in June 2012 as a lawmaker for Burundi.

She was a member of the Burundian ruling party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) and a former journalist for Burundi National Radio and the BBC.

Hafsa Mossi, 52, leaves behind three children and a husband.

She was killed one day after the start of the second round of inter-Burundian talks in Arusha, Tanzania. Endit