– Protesters undeterred –
Legislative elections had been set for May 26, but were pushed back 10 days to June 5 following “a proposal from the electoral commission to respond to a request from opposition parties, and finally to answer calls of the region and the international community,” presidential official Willy Nyamitwe told AFP.
No decision has been made as to whether a presidential poll set for June 26 would also be delayed. “Wait and see,” Nyamitwe said.
The European Union joined the African Union on Tuesday in calling for a delay to the elections, while South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma said they should be “postponed indefinitely”.
But civil society leader Vital Nshimirimana said the delay was not enough.
“This postponement will have no effect because the fundamental issue remains – that of the third term of President Pierre Nkurunziza,” he told AFP.
“Burundi cannot hold free, transparent and peaceful elections by June 5.”
Opposition and rights groups say that Nkurunziza’s bid for a third five-year term in power violates the constitution and the terms of the peace deal that brought an end to the country’s 13-year civil war in 2006.
But Nkurunziza, a former rebel leader and born-again Christian who believes he has divine backing to lead the country, argues his first term did not count as he was elected by parliament, not directly by the people.
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