(Bloomberg) -- Burundi’s Constitutional Court ruled that President-elect Evariste Ndayishimiye should be sworn in “as soon as possible” following the death of leader Pierre Nkurunziza.
Nkurunziza, who died at 55 of a heart attack earlier this week, was to cede power in August to Ndayishimiye, a former rebel commander who won elections last month as the candidate of the ruling party. Having already validated the outcome of the vote, the court said in a statement Friday there’s no need for an interim leader.
The East African nation has two vice presidents but recent changes to the constitution mean there is no clear provision for who should take over. The government decided Thursday to ask the court to declare the presidency vacant.
Opposition spokesman Aime Magera told Radio France Internationale earlier that the speaker of parliament should serve as interim leader and organize fresh elections. His party, the National Freedom Council, has questioned the outcome of the vote that the ruling party won with 68% of ballots last month.
Popular music in public places as well as in private cars has been prohibited by the mayor of the capital, Bujumbura, while the government has declared a seven-day mourning period. TV and radio stations can only play gospel music.
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