Révérien Ndikuriyo, the Secretary-General of CNDD-FDD, the ruling party in Burundi, suddenly fell sick on Thursday. He was in Ngozi, in northern Burundi, for a three-day event organized by his party. However, he did not attend prayer sessions held at a local Catholic parish and a provincial stadium. The event is set to last three days.

After falling ill, he was assisted by President Évariste Ndayishimiye’s health team and taken to Bujumbura, the economic capital of Burundi, where many United Nations agencies and government offices are located. The President and his wife were also attending the event in Ngozi. According to sources, he was admitted to Tanganyika Care Polyclinic in Bujumbura on Thursday night around 11 PM.

By Friday morning, he was transferred to Nairobi, Kenya, for intensive medical care. Some reports suggest that he may have been poisoned, though this has not been officially confirmed. Unverified sources claim that a powdered poison might have been placed inside his vehicle. Additionally, one of his bodyguards passed away around 1 AM on Friday.

Authorities have detained his driver and a police officer who were seated in the front of the vehicle. Security services arrested them on Thursday at 6 PM for questioning. Some sources speculate that Ndikuriyo could be transferred to Russia or an Asian country for further treatment. It is also reported that he initially refused to be evacuated two days earlier.

People close to the ruling party revealed that he started feeling unwell a few days ago while on an official trip to Tanzania. Burundi’s embassy in Kenya confirmed his transfer to Nairobi but did not provide details about the hospital where he is being treated.

Cyriaque Nshimirimana, the Deputy Secretary-General of the ruling party, urged members of the former Hutu rebellion to "pray for our leader." However, he did not give specific information about Ndikuriyo’s health condition.

Ndikuriyo is known for his controversial statements against political opponents. He was a close ally of former Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza, who died suddenly in June 2020 after being evacuated from Ngozi under unclear circumstances.