Votes were being counted Wednesday in Burundi, a day after a controversial presidential election was marred by pre-election violence that has led thousands of people to flee the country over the past few months. Results from the polls, which were condemned as illegitimate by the international community, are expected Thursday. The presidential election Tuesday is believed to have had low turnout, as President Pierre Nkurunziza ran without significant opposition for a third term. But electoral commission head Pierre-Claver Ndayicariye told The Associated Press Wednesday that between 72 and 80 percent of Burundi’s 3.8 million voters cast their ballots.
In an interview with VOA, former Burundi President Domicien Ndayizeye said opposition parties will not recognize the election results and neither should anyone else.
“There is not enough participation of the other political parties. That is why we say and we ask the international community not to recognize these elections and to go on pressuring the current government, the ruling party so that we agree to organize free and fair elections which will be credible and which will bring peace and stability for all,” Ndayizeye told VOA.
The elections have been roundly criticized as not free or fair, after the government ignored an opposition boycott and calls from the international community to postpone the election due to the unrest.
Full Article: Vote Count Underway in Burundi.