Burundi polls postponed to June

BUJUMBURA - The Associated Press

REUTERS Photo

A Burundian official says the president has signed a decree to postpone parliamentary elections for a week from May 26 until early June.

Willy Nyamitwe, the presidential adviser for media, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that President Pierre Nkunuziza signed an order delaying the elections.

The postponement comes after a failed coup last week which was triggered by weeks of unrest over Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term in office.

Police were back on the streets May 20 battling protesters. The army had been deployed Monday to battle protesters putting the military in a difficult position as it had previously remained neutral over the anti-Nkurunziza demonstrations.

Protesters say Nkurunziza’s bid for a third term in the June 26 presidential election is illegal because the constitution only allows two five-year terms.