Two people have been killed in new protests in Burundi against the president’s re-election bid.

 

 

Reports coming from Bujumbura say Red Cross workers have moved away the bodies. According to the eye witness who requested to remain anonymous, she saw the police fire live rounds at the demonstrators.

The protests had started peacefully but got out of hand when protestors started attacking police with stones.

The protests are over President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid to seek a third term, in June’s elections.

Thousands are out on the streets for the second week in defiance of a government ban on protests.

It is the biggest unrest Burundi has seen since a civil war ended in 2005.

There are reports of divisions in the army. On Sunday, the army’s chief of staff pledged the military’s loyalty to the country’s authorities.

The defence minister had previously declared the army’s neutrality and called for an end to attacks on citizens.

Under Burundi’s constitution, presidents can only be elected to two terms in office, but Mr Nkurunziza’s allies say his first term does not count as he was appointed by parliament. Political analysts have argued that the division of the army would result in shedding more blood or force President Nkurunziza to step down.