Burundi's electoral body rejects delay to presidential poll

Burundi's electoral body rejected Thursday a proposal by East African leaders to delay presidential poll due on July 15 by 15 days.

"Technically, the new poll date (July 30) suggested by regional leaders is impossible because Article 103 of the Burundian Constitution stipulates that the election of a president takes place at least one month before the expiry of the term of the (incumbent) president," Prosper Ntahorwamiye, spokesman for the National Independent Electoral Commission, told Xinhua.

President Pierre Nkurunziza was inaugurated on August 26, 2010, thus a new president should be sworn in on August 26, 2015, he said.

There should be enough time for vote counting, publication of results, and in case a presidential run-off, he added.

An East African Community summit on Burundi crisis held Monday in the Tanzanian city of Dar-es-Salaam, suggested the 15-day delay.

The summit also designated Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni as the new facilitator in Burundi's political crisis.

Burundi has been in turmoil since April 25 when Nkurunziza announced that he will run for a third term -- a move criticized by opponents as a violation of the constitution that limits the president to two terms in office.

Clashes between protesters and police have left more than 80 people dead in the country, according to rights groups. Endi