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Opposition denounces Nkurunziza’s third term win

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Burundi’s main opposition leader has denounced the third consecutive term win by President Pierre Nkurunziza and has demanded fresh elections, Al Jazeera reports.

Agathon Rwasa, who won 18.99 percent of the vote despite saying he was unable to campaign properly, said on Saturday he would not oppose the formation of a unity government if its “primary mission is to prepare free and democratic elections”.

Nkurunziza’s candidacy was condemned as unconstitutional by the opposition and provoked months of protests and an attempted coup in mid-May. At least 70 people have been killed since Mr Nkurunziza announced in April he would run for a third term. The government accuses the opposition of provoking violent protests.

Opponents says his bid was illegal, due to a limit of two terms in the constitution.

Final official results are expected at the end of next week.

Turnout was more than 73%, higher than many analysts predicted, although it was significantly lower in the capital Bujumbura, where most of the protests have been.

Rwasa accuses Pierre Nkurunziza of presiding over corruption and extrajudicial killing, and Rwasa described the elections results as “a joke”.

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“These are results set up in the electoral commission… not those expressed by the voters,” he said.

Regional and international bodies have already said the conditions for credible and free elections were not met.

The US State Department has joined critics saying the election lacks credibility.

The African Union (AU) did not send observers – the first time it has taken such a stance against a member state.

The US state department and the European Union expressed concern that the elections were not free and fair.

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