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Major Unrest in Burundi ahead of Presidential Elections

Categories: Sub-Saharan Africa, Burundi, Breaking News, Elections, Freedom of Speech, Politics, Protest
Pierre Nkurunziza, President of Burund - Public domain [1]

Pierre Nkurunziza, President of Burund – Public domain

At least 19 violent incidents have been documented since the beginning of 2014 in Burundi [2] ahead of the presidential elections. The unrest centers on amendments to the constitution [3] proposed by president Nkurunziza that could allow him to run for a third term. The CNDD-FDD ruling party and its youth wing are accused of disrupting opposition's meetings and the killing of one  opposition leader. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay expresses concerns [2] over the situation :

Next year’s elections will be a key test for Burundi. Continued political violence is a threat to the democratic process in a country which is still slowly recovering from a devastating protracted civil war