Grenade attack sparks fears over Burundi polls

Election observers told to brace for 14-day quarantine.

Protestors close the roads during a demonstration against President Pierre Nkurunziza in Bujumbura on April 26, 2015. FILE PHOTO | AFP  

Details

• The explosion came in the same week that 90 people were arrested in connection with skirmishes during campaigns, with the government insisting that any EAC election observers would have to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine on setting foot in the country.
• Burundi on Wednesday expelled representatives of the World Health Organisation and three senior health experts deployed to Bujumbura over unspecified reasons ahead of the country’s elections.

Fears that the elections in Burundi slated for May 20 could be marred by violence peaked last week after a grenade attack in Bujumbura left 12 people wounded.

The explosion came in the same week that 90 people were arrested in connection with skirmishes during campaigns, with the government insisting that any East African Community (EAC) election observers would have to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine on setting foot in the country.

The government said three people were killed during the first week of the campaigns in the attacks between the ruling party-affiliated group Imbonerakure and opposition party CNL supporters.

“Political leaders should stop preaching hate speech as we have seen some leaders do, for no crime will go unpunished,” said Pierre Nkurikiye, spokesman of the Burundi Public Security Minister.

“Those who think they will destabilise the country like in 2015 are dreaming because there will be enough security and whoever wants to cause instability will be arrested,” he added.

[The EastAfrica]

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