Burundian government spokesman Philippe Nzobonariba said in a
statement that a new schedule for Burundi’s elections will be announced
very soon.
“The government of Burundi has already
instructed competent technical services to implement the recommendation
of the East African Community (EAC) heads of state summit on the
postponement of elections in Burundi for at least one and half months.
The postponement of elections must however abide by requirements of avoiding the institutional vacuum,” said Mr Nzobonariba.
Chairman
of the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) Pierre Claver
Ndayicariye also said that a new election schedule will be announced by
competent institutions in the two coming days.
An
urgent regional summit on Burundi held on May 31 in Dar-es- Salaam,
Tanzania recommended the postponement of Burundi’s elections for at
least one and half months to allow a more favorable climate for
elections and to disarm youth groups.
Initially, the
first two polls including legislative and communal elections had been
slated to be held simultaneously on May 26, but were postponed for June 5
in the aftermath of a failed coup plot staged on May 13 by Major
General Godefroid Niyombare whose whereabouts are still unknown.
Meanwhile,
two protesters were injured, one of them seriously at Musaga
neighbourhood in the Burundian capital Bujumbura as protests resumed
Tuesday.
Witnesses said the protesters were injured when policemen used live bullets to disperse them.
According to witnesses, about ten protesters were arrested during the clashes at Musaga.
Today,
police were out in force in the capital to block all attempts by
protesters to take to the streets, witnesses said, two days before a
scheduled parliamentary election.
After a night punctuated by sporadic gunshots, security forces were deployed throughout Bujumbura.
The slightest sign of a group gathering was met with automatic weapons fire and the use of tear gas, AFP correspondents said.
Meanwhile, Burundi is on the brink of economic collapse.
During
Monday’s truce in anti-government protests, Renovat Ndayizeye was quick
to try to reopen his stall in Jabe market in Burundi’s capital.
He has scarcely sold a single pair of shoes since demonstrations began weeks ago, and he is getting desperate.
“I
haven’t worked since the protests began, we are living on our savings,
and now I have nothing,” said the 26-year old salesman, surrounded by
others who had taken advantage of a pause in the protests to reopen
their small wooden shack shops.
Some customers did turn up to shop, but only for basic necessities like rice, meat, vegetables and soap.
Across
the Burundian capital, business has been paralysed since demonstrators
opposed to President Nkurunziza’s third term bid began street protests,
leading to almost daily, violent clashes with police.
For over a month, customers have deserted the market and traders have left their goods locked up in the once teeming alleys.
The
consequences of the political crisis in Burundi, and the protests
primarily in its capital, are dramatic for traders like Ndayizeye, but
also potentially disastrous for the country’s already faltering economy.
The
tiny Great Lakes nation was ravaged by a 13-year civil war that ended
in 2006 and today is one of the poorest countries on the planet: gross
national income per capita is $260 (238 euros), 58 percent of the
population suffers chronic malnutrition, it exports very little,
produces too little to feed itself and is riddled with corruption.
Many of the demonstrations have taken place on the outskirts of Bujumbura, fuelled by poverty and unemployment.
This
does not prevent them from playing the economic card, erecting
barricades to prevent people from reaching their workplaces in order to
hit the economy and force the president to abandon a third term bid they
believe is unconstitutional.