Burundi`s Constitutional Court approves third term bid of President Pierre Nkurunziza

Burundi's constitutional court has approved President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid to run for a third term. 

Under the constitution, presidents can only be elected to two terms in office but it has been argued that his first term does not count as he was appointed by parliament. 

His third-term bid has led to more than a week of deadly protests.

This comes after the court's Vice-President, Sylvere Nimpagaritse, fled the country citing death threats.  

Mr Nimpagaritse said most of the judges think the President's third-term bid is unconstitutional, but they were pressurized to change their minds. 

President Nkurunziza has been in power since 2005, when a 12-year civil war officially ended. 

Meanwhile, Rwanda's Foreign Minister, Louise Mushikiwabo has expressed concern about Burundi's current political crisis citing the `civil war between Hutus against Tutsis from 1993 to 2005.  

She said at least 24 thousand people who are mostly Tutsis have already fled to Rwanda fearing another outbreak of ethnic strife. 

BBC