COVID-19: Burundi holds national elections despite coronavirus, intimidation

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NAIROBI, May 20 (Reuters) - Burundians voted on Wednesday in their first competitive presidential election since a civil war erupted in 1993, with the election commission calling for a peaceful vote despite simmering political violence and the coronavirus pandemic.

President Pierre Nkurunziza, whose government has repeatedly been accused of rights abuses, will step down after 15 years. His ruling CNDD-FDD party candidate, retired army general Evariste Ndayishimiye, is running against opposition leader Agathon Rwasa and five others.

In the commercial city of Bujumbura, a Reuters witness said lines were long in the morning in Musaga neighbourhood, where the opposition is popular. The election is meant to usher in the first democratic transition in 58 years of independence for the impoverished east African nation, after widespread international criticism of its last election in 2015, when Nkurunziza won a third term.

“We know there is plan of election fraud, some are even intimidating people asking for their voter cards to vote for them,” he said.

 

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