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Incumbent Burundi president takes lead in controversial presidential poll

Xinhua, July 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza is taking the lead over seven other candidates in a controversial presidential poll that started Tuesday.

The lead was revealed by local media as vote counting continued Wednesday and had ended in most of the 18 provinces of the country.

Nkurunziza, candidate of the ruling CNDD-FDD party, is seeking a third term in office despite a limit of two terms in the constitution.

Local media quoted officials of the electoral commission as saying Agathon Rwasa, candidate of a main opposition coalition, Burundians' Hope Independent, comes second.

Major opposition parties boycotted the election, arguing that the climate was not favorable for fair and credible elections.

Chairman of the National Independent Electoral Commission, Pierre Claver Ndayicariye, told Xinhua that provisional results for presidential poll would be announced on Friday.

He said the turnout was "more than satisfactory" as it ranges between 70 and 80 percent.

Burundi has seen months of violent protests against Nkurunziza's re-election bid.

More than 70 have been killed in the unrest since late April, according to civil society groups. Endit