Gitega (formerly Kitega) is the capital and one of the largest cities in Burundi.[1] Located in the centre of the country, in the Burundian central plateau[2] roughly 62 kilometres (39 mi) east by south of Bujumbura (the former capital and largest city), Gitega was the seat of the Kingdom of Burundi until its abolition in 1966.[3][note 1] In late December 2018, Burundian president Pierre Nkurunziza announced that he would follow on a 2007 promise to return Gitega its former political capital status,[3] with Bujumbura remaining as economical capital and centre of commerce.[4] A vote in the Parliament of Burundi made the change official on 16 January 2019, with all branches of government expected to move in over three years.[5] (Read more...)
- ^ From 1922 on, Usumbura (now Bujumbura) acted as a second, colonial, administrative and economical capital of the country; it effectively became its only political capital between the abolition of the monarchy in 1966 and January 2019).
- ^ "Biggest Cities In Burundi". 24 December 2018.
- ^ Encyclopedia Britannica. "Gitega (Burundi)". Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
- ^ a b Agence France-Presse (22 December 2018). "Burundi names Gitega as new capital". The EastAfrican. Nation Media Group. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
- ^ Nimubona, Désiré (24 December 2018). "Burundi Moves Political Capital From Bujumbura to Gitega". Bloomberg. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
- ^ "Burundi to change its capital city". BBC World News. British Broadcasting Company. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
The vote took place on Wednesday and the leader of parliament said the move would take place over three years.