While dismantling a criminal gang last week 22 criminals lost their lives, two police officers were killed and two others injured while 12 weapons seized from the armed group. PHOTO| FILE
At least 24 people were killed in Bujumbura province during an armed confrontation according to the police, the Burundian government said that the six other ‘criminals’ were apprehended for further investigation.
“While dismantling a criminal gang last week 22 criminals lost their lives, two police officers were killed and two others injured while 12 weapons seized from the armed group,” said Burundi’s police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye
This comes as the country is set to organize general elections in May which will be for the first time a Burundi president democratically hand over power to another president.
Burundi president Pierre Nkurunziza took over the office in 2005 from Domitien Ndayizeye, in 7th June 2018 he announced that he will not contest in this year’s general elections after serving his five year term ending mid this year.
Burundi amended the country’s 2005 constitution in 2018 that would have allowed the incumbent president to contest in this year’s presidential elections. According to the current constitution that was promulgated in 2018, article 97 indicates that “the president of the republic is elected by direct universal suffrage for a renewable term of seven year. And no one may serve more than two consecutive terms.”