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Burundi's president registers for election amid protests

Xinhua, May 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza registered for the upcoming presidential election Friday afternoon at the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) amid ongoing protests against his third term.

After registering on behalf of the country's ruling party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), Nkurunziza told reporters that elections will be held in serenity, arguing that more than 99 percent of the entire territory is calm.

"Few neighborhoods in the capital Bujumbura are facing insecurity, but this cannot prevent us from organizing elections," said Nkurunziza.

He indicated that the demonstration turned into "insurrection" and reassured that the situation will be under control very soon.

Nkurunziza stressed, "Even countries facing tougher insecurity like Nigeria where Boko Haram has been killing people succeed to organize elections."

According to Nkurunziza, the current insecurity cannot be compared to the crisis the east African nation faced in 1993 or the security situation during the country's elections in 2005 where the last rebel group was still active, or else the resistance to elections in 2010.

Gerard Nduwayo, candidate of the Union for National Progress (UPRONA) that ruled the country for four decades since the country' s independence on July 1, 1962 also filed his application for the presidential election due on June 26.

On Tuesday, the Burundian constitutional court endorsed the candidacy of Nkurunziza for another term in office despite protests by the opposition and civil society, launched since April 26, arguing that Nkurunziza's third term would be a violation of the national constitution and the 2000 Arusha Agreement that provide two terms of five years each for a president of Burundi.

The constitutional court approved that the term that went from 2005 to 2010 should not be counted as Nkurunziza was elected by the parliament and not directly by the citizens.

Nkurunziza was designated by his party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) on April 25, sparking disagreements within the opposition and some civil society organizations saying Nkurunziza' s nomination was a violation of the national constitution and the 2000 Arusha agreement that provide two terms of five years each for a president of Burundi.

On Tuesday, the Burundian constitutional court however passed the candidacy of Nkurunziza for another term.

In a message to the nation on Wednesday evening, Nkurunziza called on protesters to stop their demonstrations and pledged that if he is elected in the upcoming presidential election, it will be his "last" term.

Burundi is this year to hold general elections between May 26 and August 24, with the presidential election due on June 26. Endi