BUJUMBURA, Nov 1: Burundi swore in a new power-sharing government Thursday, in a major step towards ending eight years of ethnic bloodshed that has left a quarter of a million people dead.

Pierre Buyoya, who has led Burundi since seizing power in a 1996 coup, became the president for the first 18 months of the three-year transition regime.

The regime aims to establish a more balanced cabinet, parliament and army, giving ethnic Hutus, who make up 83 percent of the population, more power.

Tutsis, who make up 15 percent of the population, have dominated politics since independence from Belgium in 1962. Buyoya himself is a Tutsi.

A leading Hutu opposition figure, Domitien Ndayizeye, was also sworn in on Thursday as vice president. He will become president during the second half of the administration.

The post of vice president will then go to a Tutsi, although Buyoya has made it clear he will not take up this post.

Elections are to be staged in three years time.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by former South African president Nelson Mandela, who oversaw two years of difficult negotiations to reach an accord.

“A breakthrough is happening today. I always told my colleagues not to be pessimistic. Let’s not let the armed wings hold this peace process to ransom,” Mandela said.

The country’s two main rebel movements, the Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) and the National Liberation Forces (FNL), have still not agreed to a ceasefire.

The new government’s biggest challenge will be to stem the fighting in the country.

Mandela said the two rebel groups were ready to negotiate with the government.—AFP