{Pierre Nkurunziza has been sworn in as Burundi’s president for a controversial third term in power, the presidency has said, following last month’s disputed elections boycotted by the opposition.}<\/p>\n
Nkurunziza took the “oath for a new term of five years”, the presidency said in a statement, in a surprise ceremony on Thursday, announced only a few hours in advance. His previous tenure was slated to end on August 26.<\/p>\n
His third term has been condemned as unconstitutional by the opposition and provoked months of protests. In mid-May, rebel generals attempted a coup, which failed.<\/p>\n
The United Nations observer mission said the vote last month was not “inclusive, free and credible” and was held “in an environment of profound mistrust” between political rivals.<\/p>\n
Nkurunziza won 69.41 percent of the vote, an immediate first round victory.<\/p>\n
Burundi’s constitution only allows a president to be elected twice – for a total of 10 years in power – but before these polls Nkurunziza argued he had only been directly elected by the people once.<\/p>\n
In power since 2005, when he was selected by parliament, he was re-elected in 2010.<\/p>\n
At least 100 people have been killed since Nkurunziza announced he would run for a third term in April.<\/p>\n
AU chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Sunday called for “utmost restraint” by all sides, warning of potential “catastrophic consequences” for troubled Burundi and the wider region if rivals do not resolve political differences peacefully.<\/p>\n
Opposition parties say the third term is illegal, while the African Union, European Union and the US State Department have all said that July’s election was not free nor fair.<\/p>\n
Source: Agencies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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