BUJUMBURA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- An extraordinary congress of Burundi's ruling party on Sunday elected former Senate President Reverien Ndikuriyo to succeed the incumbent Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye as the new party leader.

Ndikuriyo was elected as the Secretary General of the ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) in the political capital Gitega, Gitega province, central Burundi.

After being elected, Ndikuriyo thanked party members for their trust in him. He also called on Burundian people to support Ndayishimiye in the government's development and anti-poverty program.

Ndayishimiye told the congress that the central African nation has reached a satisfactory stage in consolidation of good governance and democracy, and the CNDD-FDD has contributed to it a lot.

"Fraternity now characterizes political parties registered in Burundi. They are no longer enemies, but are rather complementary, " said the president, who was elected the Secretary General of the ruling party in 2016.

The new party leader was the President of Senate from 2015 to 2020, and still serves as a senator until present.