Burundi vice-president opposes Nkurunziza, flees to Belgium

Gervais Rufyikiri, second vice-president of Burundi, fled to Brussels on Thursday in opposition to the third term bid of President Pierre Nkurunziza.

A government spokesman claimed Rufyikiri was on a foreign mission.

But speaking to France24 from his new base, the vice-president said he could no longer support Nkurunziza’s “unconstitutional attempt” for a third term.

Rufyikiri accused his boss of plunging the country into “a deep crisis” and advised him to withdraw his candidacy immediately to enable the country recover from the current insecurity.

According to reports from Bujumbura, capital of the country, some top government officials, including a constitutional court judge and members of the electoral commission, left the country before Rufyikiri.

Since April when Nkurunziza declared his intention, over 100,000 people have fled Burundi to neighbouring countries for fear of an outbreak of new violence.

A civil war that claimed 300,000 lives in Burundi ended 12 years ago.

The opposition considers Nkurunziza’s third term bid unconstitutional and has organised series of protests in order to pressure him to reverse the course.

Rights groups say at least 70 people have been killed in such protests.

The European Union and United States are demanding a postponement of the election until the matter is resolved.

Parliamentary election is to take place on Monday, while presidential election has been scheduled for July 15.

Meanwhile, about seven people were injured in Bujumbura after  two separate grenade explosions occurred almost simultaneously in the centre of the city on Thursday.

Witnesses said the incidents occurred between 10:30am and 10:40am.

“A man detonated a grenade at about 10:30 (local time) near BANCOBU Bank. Six persons were injured and some of them seriously during the explosion,” said one of the witnesses found near the area.

Other witnesses said a second grenade exploded almost at the same time near a road leading to the Burundian ombudsman’s office, injuring a motorcyclist.

“The grenade exploded around 10:40 (local time) on the crossroads between the street leading to the Asian neighbourhood and the avenue leading to the office of the Burundian ombudsman,” said another witness.

The witnesses said casualty rate would have been higher if the latter grenade exploded in a crowd that was near the place.

They said the grenade detonated under a moving car, adding that two cars were also damaged during the incidents.