Burundians Vote In Referendum To Extend President's Rule
Umer Jamshaid Published May 17, 2018 | 02:02 PM
Burundians voted Thursday in a referendum on constitutional reforms that, if passed, will shore up the power of President Pierre Nkurunziza and enable him to rule until 2034
Bujumbura, Burundi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th May, 2018 ) :Burundians voted Thursday in a referendum on constitutional reforms that, if passed, will shore up the power of President Pierre Nkurunziza and enable him to rule until 2034.
Police, soldiers and armoured vehicles were out in full force for the referendum which comes three years after Nkurunziza sought a controversial third term, triggering a political crisis that has killed 1,200 and forced 400,000 from their homes.
Hundreds of people lined up for the vote in which they are merely asked to decide yes or no ("Ego" and "Oya" in Kirundi) in the "constitutional referendum of May 2018", with no question posed on the ballot.
"Long lines have been seen at the opening of polling stations in Bujumbura. Burundian citizens were impatient to go and vote," presidential spokesman Willy Nyamitwe wrote on Twitter. An AFP photographer also reported long lines at polling stations in northern Burundi.
"I came at dawn because I was impatient to vote 'yes' to consolidate the independence and sovereignty of our country," said a farmer, who gave his name only as Miburo, in the town of Ngozi. Nkurunziza, dressed in an Adidas tracksuit and orange bush hat with a chin strap, queued from 6am (0400GMT) to cast his ballot, praising the population for turning out to vote "en masse".
Related Topics
Recent Stories
President for dialogue with all political forces in Balochistan
Supreme Court adjourns IHC judges letter case
RDMC, Hunar Foundation Vocational Training Center inaugurated in Nokkundi
Man critically injured as vehicle catches fire amid CNG filling
Provincial health ministers chair meeting of Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority
Sheikh Jafar Khan Mandukhel assumes charge as Governor Balochistan
PITHM organizes counselling session
Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal leaves f ..
Defence Minister vows to punish perpetrators of May 9 incident
AJK High Court orders Govt to legislate on electricity taxes
Seminar on "The Role of Youth in Nation Building: In the Light of Iqbal's Though ..
Stock markets mostly rise on lower rates optimism
More Stories From World
-
China voices serious concern over Israel's plan to launch military operation against Rafah
31 minutes ago -
TikTok Pakistan Pavilion holds grand opening ceremony in Shanghai
3 minutes ago -
Bazm-e-Urdu Dubai and Sharjah Children Reading Festival Present Entertaining Urdu Performances
1 hour ago -
UBS back in profit after Credit Suisse takeover losses
41 minutes ago -
Slovakia records 1,100 bomb threats in a day, launches terror probe
2 hours ago -
Police break up pro-Palestinian demos in Amsterdam, Berlin
3 hours ago
-
UN chief urges Israel to halt escalation, crossings be re-opened
3 hours ago -
China hospital attack leaves two dead, 21 wounded
3 hours ago -
UN says its access to Gaza's Rafah crossing 'denied' by Israel
3 hours ago -
Anadolu organizes training program for Algerian journalists
3 hours ago -
Karmod completes quick-install service cabins for flight school in Adana, Türkiye
3 hours ago -
China's top legislature launches enforcement inspection of intangible cultural heritage law
3 hours ago