The stability in Bulundi has not yet attained following political crisis in 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza declined to step down after completion of his two term. He decided to seek one another year in office and the opponents argued it to be unconstitutional.
Lately the fate of Nkurunziza lies in the hands of citizens. A referendum will be deciding whether the constitution could be amended to extend the presidential terms from five years to seven.
Nkurunziza’s office released a press statement saying, “The draft constitution submitted to the referendum will be adopted if the absolute majority of votes or fifty percent plus one vote, approve it.”
Extending the presidential terms or not leaving the office following end of terms have been common in the continent and several African leaders uses tactics to thwart opponents. The presidents try prolonging their reigns beyond the constitutional limits.
So far there has been no good result of the regional efforts to find a peaceful resoltuion to such politica crisis.
Earlier in March Nkurunziza’s party, CNDD-FDD, decided to give him the title of “CNDD-FDD Party Visionary.” It is beings said the idea behind such title is to shore up support for him ahead of the referendum.
A data from United Nations and aid agencies reveal some 500 to 2000 people were dead in violence of April 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced to run for third term in office. About 425,000 Burundians fled to neighboring countries.
It is also learned about 100 reports have fled to neighboring countries since the April 2015 crisis.
