Police drive by the scene of a grenade attack on a parked car downtown Bujumbura, Burundi, Monday July 20, 2015, on the eve of presidential elections.(seemore Photo)..
No injuries were reported. Burundi has been rocked by violence that has left more than 100 people dead. Over 144,000 people have fled the country since the ruling party announced President Pierre Nkurunziza's candidacy in April.
A grenade exploded in Bujumbura, the capital's central business district, but did not wound anyone, said Deputy Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye. The explosion highlights fears that the polls may trigger violence.
Preparations for voting day are complete with ballot boxes and papers distributed to nearly 11,500 voting centers throughout the country and security has been improved to ensure a smooth voting process, the electoral commission Spokesman Prosper Ntahorwamiye said Monday.
Ntahorwamiye said they expect a high turnout of the 3.8 million registered voters, saying that improved security has encouraged refugees to return. But the U.N. refugee agency said it has not seen any returns of the more than 170,000 who have fled the country fearing election-related violence.
An uneasy calm has settled in Bujumbura, after weeks of sporadic street battles between the police and civilians. More than 100 people have died in demonstrations since the ruling party announced Nkurunziza's candidacy in April.
No comments:
Post a Comment