[1] Ngendahayo initially worked as a teacher, but eventually took up a position with the European Economic Community.
In February 1991 Ngendahayo became one of the twelve founding members of the Iteka League, a human rights association.
[5] In this capacity he suspended a newspaper's publication for attacking the president, but the Commission on Press Freedom overturned his decision.
[1] In June 1995 he and United States Ambassador Bob Krueger were ambushed by rebels while traveling in a convoy in the countryside.
[7] He resigned from his post on 25 June and fled to Johannesburg, South Africa, saying that the government was unable to provide for the safety of Burundian citizens.