Burundi President "Pierre Nkurunziza" wins third term as a president

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza has won a third five-year term as the leader of the small east African nation, the country’s electoral commission said on Friday, after a vote marred by violence and a boycott by the opposition.

Pierre Claver Ndayicariye, head of the electoral commission, told reporters Nkurunziza, 51, had won 69.41 percent of the votes cast. Nkrunziza’s nearest rival, Agathon Rwasa, took 18.99 percent.

The vote took place on Tuesday, despite calls by African leaders and Western powers for it to be delayed due to rising insecurity and the boycott by opposition candidates whose names remained on the ballot paper.

The former sports teacher, ex-rebel, born-again Christian and football fanatic, Nkurunziza has divided the nation over his bid to secure a third term.

Violent clashes between protesters and security forces began in April following the announcement that Nkurunziza, from Burundi's majority Hutu ethnic group, would stand for a third consecutive five-year term -- something his opponents say is a violation of the constitution and a peace deal that ended Burundi's civil war in 2006.

Scores of people have been killed since late April, when Burundi's ruling CNDD-FDD party nominated Nkurunziza as its candidate.

Polls opened Tuesday amid gunfire and explosions, with two people killed overnight in clashes in the capital Bujumbura.

(BALOOGGSBLOG, FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)