Burundi is on Fire as Nkurunziza seeks another term
At least two people have been killed in violent clashes in Burundi, a day after President Pierre Nkurunziza launched his bid for a third term in office.
Thousands defied a ban to take to the streets of the capital Bujumbura. Police shot live ammunition in the air to disperse them.
President Nkurunziza was nominated to run by his governing CNDD-FDD party.
Opponents say it is unconstitutional and threatens a peace deal that ended the 12-year civil war in 2005.
More than 300,000 people died in the war
Angry protesters on Sunday threw rocks and lit tyres. Police responded with tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition, blocking access to the centre of the capital.
The Burundian Red Cross spokesman Alexis Manirakiza said that at least five protesters were injured in the clashes and that one was in a coma.
Many demonstrators have been detained.
Police also threatened to shut down a private radio stations (RPA, Bonesha FM and Isanganiro) unless it stopped live broadcasts about the protests.
At his nomination by a special party congress, President Nkurunziza said: “I call people to go to the election in peace.
“But I would like to warn everyone: Whoever wants to create problems with the ruling party elected by the people, he’ll find himself in trouble,” he added, Reuters reported.
Mr Nkurunziza has served two terms as president, coming to the office at the end of the civil war.
Burundi’s constitution only allows the president to be elected twice. But Mr Nkurunziza’s supporters argue he is eligible for another term since he was appointed by parliament in 2005.
More than 12,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries in recent weeks citing violence ahead of June’s presidential election, the UN refugee agency says.
No more international attention, we as Africans have the answers to our own problems simply because we solely create such problems mainly due to the African leaders’ greed in trying to achieve personal and group interests other than the interests of their nations. What’s happening in Burundi is not different from what happened in Burkina Faso or what will happen in Rwanda in the near future, people are more interested in moving forward in a democratic way through respecting their national constitutions by saying “we the people want a change in leadership”. Democracy begins with the free people, majority and not the minority, when at any time, they chose to go on to the streets to demonstrate any unconstitutional decision that can be engineered from above as away of benefiting a few but not the whole country, the demands of the majority free people wins and any national force, it be military or police in this case should or ought to support the needs of the people. Silencing of dissent and oppression of opposition with impunity can only lead to a one man’s rule, dictatorship and corruption intended to serve the interests of a few or a group of individuals and does not lead to national development that aims to serve as a vehicle of opportunity to welfare to all citizens. Burundi people say no to NKURUNZIZA and Rwanda say no to Paul Kagame in a near future incase he unconstitutionally chose to run for a third term in office. nd’umunyarwanda USA
No more international attention, we as Africans have the answers to our own problems simply because we solely create such problems mainly due to the African leaders’ greed in trying to achieve personal and group interests other than the interests of their nations. What’s happening in Burundi is not different from what happened in Burkina Faso or what will happen in Rwanda in the near future, people are more interested in moving forward in a democratic way through respecting their national constitutions by saying “we the people want a change in leadership”. Democracy begins with the free people, majority and not the minority, when at any time, they chose to go on to the streets to demonstrate any unconstitutional decision that can be engineered from above as away of benefiting a few but not the whole country, the demands of the majority free people wins and any national force, it be military or police in this case should or ought to support the needs of the people. Silencing of dissent and oppression of opposition with impunity can only lead to a one man’s rule, dictatorship and corruption intended to serve the interests of a few or a group of individuals and does not lead to national development that aims to serve as a vehicle of opportunity to welfare to all citizens. Burundi people say no to NKURUNZIZA and Rwanda say no to Paul Kagame in a near future incase he unconstitutionally chose to run for a third term in office. nd’umunyarwanda USA