Burundian president’s third-term bid ‘non-negotiable’

Burundi’s government said on Tuesday that President Pierre Nkurunziza would not end his third-term bid for power in elections next month, despite weeks of opposition protests.

"This decision is non-negotiable," government spokesman Philippe Nzobonariba said in a radio broadcast, dismissing opposition demands he step down.

He also said the electoral commission’s proposal to delay the presidential election until July 15 was the final time polls would be postponed.

Key dates in the Burundian crisis

Burundi has suffered more than a month of protests against President Pierre Nkurunziza’s divisive bid for a third term.

Since demonstrations began in late April, about 40 people have been killed and scores wounded in clashes between demonstrators and police and ruling party militia.

Close to 100,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries.

The opposition says Mr Nkurunziza’s move is unconstitutional and violates a peace deal that ended civil war in 2006. On Monday, the electoral commission proposed a new calendar for the vote.

April 26, 2015: Police clash with protesters in several parts of the capital, a day after Mr Nkurunziza is declared candidate for a third term in office by his ruling CNDD-FDD. Police use tear gas, water cannons and live ammunition to prevent thousands of youths from marching to the city centre.

Three demonstrators are shot dead in the clashes with police, while two more deaths are reported overnight in alleged attacks by ruling party militia.

April 27: Police arrest leading human rights activist Pierre-Claver Mbonimpa and hold him for 30 hours. Other rights leaders go into hiding.

May 5: The Constitutional Court clears Mr Nkurunziza to run for a third term.

The judgment signed by six out of seven judges comes hours after the court’s vice-president fled the country after refusing to sign the judgment, claiming judges had been subjected to death threats.

May 9: The government orders protesters to "immediately and unconditionally" end the protests and orders all barricades to be removed within 48 hours.

May 13: A top Burundian general, Godefroid Niyombare, announces the overthrow of Mr Nkurunziza, hours after the president left for neighbouring Tanzania for talks with regional leaders on ending the crisis.

May 15: Coup leaders announce that they are surrendering, before being arrested by loyalist forces. Gen Niyombare avoids capture and goes on the run, according to the government.

Mr Nkurunziza returns to the presidential palace in the capital.

May 18: Mr Nkurunziza replaces the defence, foreign affairs and trade ministers.

May 22: Attackers hurl grenades into a crowd in Bujumbura, killing three people, in the first such acts to apparently deliberately target a civilian crowd.

May 23: The leader of a small Burundian opposition party — Zedi Feruzi — is shot dead alongside his bodyguard in Bujumbura’s Ngagara district.

May 31: Countries in eastern Africa call for the elections to be delayed by at least a-month-and-a-half.

June 4: An aide to Mr Nkurunziza calls for "a frank and constructive dialogue" with the opposition, and says for the first time that the issue of a third term was not "taboo". Opposition leaders say they are open to talks, and Mr Nkurunziza suspends the elections.

June 8: The electoral commission proposes holding the legislative and municipal elections on June 26 and the presidential vote on July 15.

June 9: A government spokesman says Mr Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term "is non-negotiable" and that the electoral commission’s proposal is final.

AFP