BUJUMBURA, Aug. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- The swearing-in of the first post-transitional president on Friday formally ended the transitional period in Burundi, ushering in peace and stability for the tiny central African country that suffered more than a decade of civil conflicts.

Pierre Nkurunziza, leader of the predominantly ex-Hutu rebel Forces for the Defense of Democracy, is sworn in as the president of Burundi, August 26, 2005.

   At the inauguration ceremony held in the National Assembly, Pierre Nkurunziza took over the helm from outgoing president Domitien Ndayizeye, who assumed power as the second transitional president in 2003.

   In his inauguration speech, Nkurunziza said the victory of his party is for all Burundians, and it is also the victory for real democracy.

   He urged all Burundians to work hard, and engage in all activities that are likely to sustain visual development of the country.

   "Let's unite and work hard so as to find solution for our country, to make it prosperous and renew its image in front of the international community," said the charismatic young leader when loud applause broke out in the audience.

   Nkurunziza was elected last week with more than 90 percent of the votes in a joint session of the National Assembly and the Senate, both dominated by his Forces for Defense of Democracy (FDD) party, a former Hutu rebel group which joined the transitional government in November 2003 as a legal political party.

   The FDD has won both the parliamentary and senate elections in July, virtually guaranteeing presidency for its chairman Nkurunziza, who had been chosen as the only candidate for the presidential selection.

   Ethnic divisions have repeatedly driven Burundi into civil conflicts. The latest round of war broke out in 1993 after the country's first democratically elected leader, a Hutu, was assassinated. Since then fightings between Hutu rebels and the Tutsi military have killed some 300,000 people.

   LEADERSHIP WITH COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT

   Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission Paul Ngarambe, who has organized the country's series of elections this year, said Nkurunziza and his FDD party has gained support because their concept and policies are seductive.

   "They are young and new," said Ngarambe in a recent interview with Xinhua, "and they have gained inspiration from shortcomings of former parties."

   Their policies are representing the real problems of the Burundian people, he said, and they have established close ties with other ethnic groups, with even some Tutsis having joined the party.

   South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has done a pivotal job in securing Burundi's ethnic reconciliation, said at the inauguration ceremony that the international community will continue to help with the Burundians, even after the transitional period has ended.

   "We'll support you as much as you want, and as much as we are able to," he said.

   The 42-year-old Nkurunziza joined the FDD in 1995 as a soldier. After rising through the ranks, he was elected chairman in 2000. There was a split in the group in late 2001 and he was reelected to the post of chairman in August 2004.

   Since late 2003, he has served as Minister for Good Governance in the transitional government of president Domitien Ndayizeye.

   Campaigning on a concept of ethnic inclusiveness, the FDD gained strong support from the Burundian people who are tired of war and longing for peace and prosperity. The party has won such predominance in the municipal and legislative elections that no other party bothered to choose a presidential candidate.

   According to the UN Operation in Burundi's spokesman Penangnini Toure, this year's elections are the first since 1993 that were free and open to everyone, and with massive participation from the people.

   "We can see that peace is coming back to Burundi," Toure told Xinhua, adding that although the country is heading toward stability and development, there are still many challenges facing the new government.

   CHALLENGES FOR NEW GOVERNMENT

   A lot of challenges are facing the government, among them poverty, human rights, justice, crime and a lingering threat to security, with the last holdout rebel group, the Hutu forces for National Liberation (FNL), still fighting in the country.

   Nkurunziza has called on the FNL to stop fighting and sit down for negotiation. With the help of the UN mission, analysts have seen the prospect of bringing the last rebels into the political reconciliation process.

   The Burundian people welcomed a new leader, but years of war and political entanglement left many looking for action but not words from the government, to bring them real benefit. So the biggest challenges facing the new president perhaps are fighting poverty and reviving economy.

   It is also important for the government to address the issue of justice and fight against corruption, which stands as the base for the people's trust. Nkurunziza has promised equal rights to justice for everyone in the Burundian territory, saying that judgment should never be made according to tribes, regions or bias and investigations should be done to all crimes.

   He has also expressed his determination to fight dictatorship and corruption, pledging that his government won't steal wealth from the people.

   The president also vowed to provide free education for all school-age children in the conflict-ravaged nation from September this year.

   Nkurunziza won his presidency in a legislature election. After his term ends in 2010, the Burundian people will elect a president directly.  Enditem