Sylvie kiningi of Burundi is our next celebrant on the list of African women leaders. She is the only woman that has ever served as a president and prime minister in her country. We would like to say she was a true warrior in the frontlines during her tenure.

First of all, Sylvie kinigi is a trained banker. She joined politics in 1987, eight years after graduation. And promptly used her position as a committee member in the leading political party, to draw up policies that made life easier for women.

By 1990, the Central Bank of Burundi hired her as a department head. Again, Sylvie was only there for a while when her old classmate and newly elected president, Ndadaye offered her the position of the Prime Minister.

The country was going through ethnic violence, so it is understandable that she was a little hesitant to accept. Her classmate belonged to a different ethnic group and invited her hoping for peace among the fighting groups. So, Sylvie became the first female Prime Minister of Burundi, in July 1993 at age thirty-nine.

With this record position, Ms. Kinigi became Burundi’s second only to the president. Suddenly, she was forced into presidency three months after, October 1993. Her boss was killed. She had to become president.

At this point, we commend Sylvie’s ability to take over the presidency. We praise her because during his assassination, some of her other colleagues were also murdered. She was just lucky not to be counted among the dead. Yet she could double as a PM and President, while the ethnic war raged on.

One can imagine her shaking in her shoes yet shouldering her responsibilities bravely. As former friends and relatives fought and killed themselves, she conducted another election. A man, Mr. Ntaryamira was elected as the new president. She resigned after he was sworn in.

President Sylvie ruled from July 1993 to February 1994. She serves in international assignments and never returned to government service.

Phew! How many of us agree to her not going back to work the government? Type agree or disagree in the comments section below.

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