Military Announces Coup In Burundi

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines Wednesday, May 13th, 2015

The ongoing political crisis in Burundi Wednesday took a new twist as an army officer, Major General Godefroid Niyombareh announced that the embattled President Pierre Nkurunziza’s government has been toppled.

Consequently, General Niyombareh informed that a salvation committee had been set up, yet his level of support was unclear.

The violent protest in Burundi was triggered by President Nkurunziza’s declaration on April 26, to re-contest for third time, the Presidency of the Central African country.

Hundreds of protesters Wednesday morning trooped out to the central part of the capital Bujumbura, but Police fired live ammunition at them.

The embattled President Nkurunziza is currently in Tanzania for a summit, to chart the way forward, of the violence which had claimed over 20 lives, with the other Eastern African leaders.

In spite of the country’s constitution aversion to third term, President Nkurunziza has maintained that he is entitled to re-contest for the highest office in the country, just as he claimed he was first appointed to the position by parliament in 2005. The year’s general elections was scheduled for next month – June.