Grenade blasts, boycott mark Burundi’s controversial polls

Burundians voted on Monday in controversial elections amid an opposition boycott and a string of grenade attacks, with the election commission claiming a “massive” turnout despite many stations being quiet.

Assailants threw grenades both in the capital Bujumbura and at some provincial voting centres ahead of today’s parliamentary and local elections, delaying the start of voting in some areas, police and election officials said.

Another grenade exploded in the capital shortly after voting began in the latest example of the weeks of violence sparked by President Pierre Nkurunzizaa’s defiant bid for a third term.

By midday, election commission chief Pierre-Claver Ndayicariye, <g data-gr-id="16">said</g> “participation was enormous throughout the country.” 

No official figures were available, and in polling stations in Bujumbura queues were short and turnout sparse with election officials at times <g data-gr-id="17">outnumbering</g> voters.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon earlier called for the elections to be delayed after the opposition said they would not take part, as Burundi faces its worst crisis since <g data-gr-id="19">civil</g> war ended nine years ago.

The European Union on Monday condemned the decision to hold elections, saying polls “can only exacerbate the profound crisis.”