Burundians back reform of charter

BURUNDIANS overwhelmingly backed constitutional reforms that bolster President Pierre Nkurunziza’s power and allow him to seek another two terms in office, results showed on Monday.

Election Commission Chief Pierre-Claver Ndayicariye said 73 percent of voters had voted “Yes” in a referendum last Thursday, which the opposition and rights groups said took place in a climate of fear and repression.

Only 19 percent voted “No” in the vote, which scored a turnout of 96 percent. Spoiled ballots made up 4 percent of votes cast.

The results – which exclude figures from the diaspora representing 0.27 percent of the vote – are provisional and must be validated by the Constitutional Court within nine days.

Observers expected the reforms to pass, partly due to support Nkurunziza still holds in rural areas, but also due to a crackdown on dissent, the media and civil society.

Nkurunziza, 54, who has been in power since 2005, plunged his tiny east African nation into crisis in 2015 when he circumvented a constitutional two-term limit, arguing his first term came after an election by parliament.

The US on Monday denounced the “climate of fear and intimidation” and “lack of transparency” it said had marred the referendum and questioned the results.