Burundi president registers to run for third term as tensions simmer

May 8, 2015 8:17 AM

By Patrick Nduwimana

Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza addresses delegates of the ruling Conseil National pour la Defense de la Democratie - Forces pour Defense de la Democratie (CNDD-FDD) party during their congress in the capital Bujumbura, April 25, 2015. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

BUJUMBURA (Reuters) - Burundi's president registered on Friday to run for a third term, in a move likely to stoke anger among protesters opposing his bid for another five years in office.

Crowds have taken to the streets of the capital and clashed with police for almost two weeks, saying Pierre Nkurunziza's plan to run again violates the constitution and a peace deal that ended an ethnically-charged civil war in 2005.

The constitutional court ruled this week he could stand, saying his first term did not count because he was picked by parliament rather than elected by the people.

Opponents say the court is biased and have vowed to keep protesting until he withdraws from the race. They have called for the election to be delayed due to the unrest.

"For me, the electoral schedule has to be respected," the former Hutu rebel leader-turned-president said after registering at the election commission, known as CENI.

"I would like to say that 99 percent of Burundi is in peace, demonstrations are just happening in a small part of Bujumbura."

Saturday is the deadline for candidates to register.

Nkurunziza's bid for a third term has plunged Burundi into its worst crisis since the war, which pitted rebels from the ethnic Hutu majority against the then Tutsi-led army and killed about 300,000 people.

Demonstrators have burned tyres and hurled stones at police, who have fired tear gas, water cannon and, say protesters, live rounds. Police deny shooting.

The streets were calmer on Friday. Burundi's media have reported some protests outside Bujumbura, but these have not been independently confirmed.

Anshere Nikoyagize, head of rights group Ligue ITEKA, said the death toll since protests erupted on April 26 was 17, including civilians and members of the security forces.

More than 50,000 Burundians have fled in recent weeks to neighbouring Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said.

Rwanda, with a similar ethnic mix to Burundi, has voiced concern about the unrest. In its 1994 genocide about 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered.

Opposition figure Agathon Rwasa, who like Nkurunziza led a Hutu militia in the Burundi war, plans to run as an independent.

He said registering "may be a very hard exercise" as the 200 witnesses needed to support his application might not secure required documentation in time. He said the authorities had created obstacles.

The government has promised a free and fair vote.

Rwasa has called for the May parliamentary poll and June presidential election to be delayed due to the unrest but said the votes should take place before Nkurunziza's term runs out on Aug. 26.