40,000 Flee Burundi Amid Political Crisis

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40,000 Flee Burundi Amid Political Crisis

The UN has said that about 40,000 refugees had fled Burundi to neighbouring Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in April, amid protests against President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term.


The Burundi Red Cross said that a total of 16 people were injured in protests held in different parts of Bujumbura on Wednesday.


More than a week of demonstrations has plunged the African nation into its worst crisis since an ethnically charged civil war ended in 2005.


Civil society groups said that a dozen people had been killed.


Police, however, said that the death toll was half that number.


The opposition said Burundi’s constitution and a peace deal that ended the civil war limited Nkurunziza to two terms.

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However, Burundi’s constitutional court had cleared the way for the president to run again in June, saying his first term did not count because he was picked by parliament not publicly elected.


Chauvineau Mugwengezo, spokesman for the alliance for Democratic Change, a coalition of five opposition parties rejecting Nkurunziza’s bid for the third term, accused their opponents of causing most of Wednesday’s injuries.


“Imbonerakure (youth affiliated to the ruling party) attacked peaceful demonstrators at Kanyosha, a dozen were wounded by hand grenades thrown by the young members of CNDD-FDD party,’’ Mugwengezo alleged.


The chairman of the CNDD-FDD youth wing league, denied the accusations, saying no youths were involved in the violence. (Reuters/NAN)