Burundi: The Biography of a Small African Country

by Nigel Watt

Little known in the English-speaking world, Burundi is Rwanda's twin, a small Central African country with a complex history of ethnic tension between its Hutu and Tutsi populations that has itself experienced traumatic events, including mass killings of over 200,000 people. The country remained in a state of simmering civil war until 2004, after which Julius Nyerere and Nelson Mandela took turns as mediators in a lengthy, and eventually successful, peace process which has endowed Burundi with new institutions, including a new constitution that led to the election of Pierre Nkurunziza as president in 2005.

After some years of modest progress Burundi's peace was shattered again when the president decided to stand for a third term in 2015. The tensions today are more political than ethnic but the country faces many other problems, above all the entrenched poverty which has seen Burundi designated as one of the most deprived countries on earth.

Nigel Watt's book discusses the troubled political fortunes of this beautiful yet disturbed country which is now part of the East African Community. He traces the origins of its political crises, sheds light on Burundi's recent history by means of interviews with leading participants and those whose lives have been affected by horrific events, helps demystify the country's 'ethnic' divisions and follows the fortunes of the Nkurunziza regime.

Genres: History, Africa, Nonfiction, Burundi

480 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[Innocent Magambi]

As a Burundian born in a refugee camp in Congo where my father sought refuge after fleeing the 1972 massacres, I have always loved my country from afar. As the author of Refugee for Life, a book about my own refugee experience, reading this book was an emotional journey. It made me cry, smile, and, most of all, feel deep anger at the atrocities my people have endured and continue to face.

I learned so much that I wasn’t aware of, such as how our kings successfully resisted the slave trade on Burundian soil and the extensive reconciliation efforts that helped bridge the divide between hostile communities.

Thank you, Nigel, for loving my country and for serving my people. Your book has strengthened my determination to be part of the solution—helping my people overcome poverty and build a better future.

[Nico · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seems to lack rigour in its writing, as many events seem somewhat overlooked and/or do not necessarily appear to viewed objectively. If you know close to nothing about Burundi and can't find any other book about the country, then this can provide somewhat of a background to the country.

[Soeren · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I thought the summary of the political situation was easy to follow. I lost interest in the chapter discussing the various NGOs.

[Bangui Boy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview, not particularly detailed

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Burundi
Hutu and Tutsi are both indigenous Africans.
Both have equal right to the land.
But the Hutu’s decided they’re sooo much better they should just kill all the Tutsis and steal their stuff.
So they did — repeatedly. This book is mainly about the 1993 genocide, but there are many, many more.

[Jeremy Hopkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some useful background but very amateur and at times unprofessional to the point of being misleading. However, worth a read if you want to get a sense of someone's perspective on what has been happening in Burundi- and in English. And of course no disrespect meant to the author who certainly went to some effort to write it.