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Pierre Nkurunziza

BUJUMBURA/JOHANNESBURG. — Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza yesterday snubbed a summit of regional leaders in Tanzania called to deal with the crisis in his country.

“President Nkurunziza will not go to Dar es Salaam,” Gervais Abahiro told AFP ahead of the meeting. “He will be represented there by his foreign minister. He is campaigning (for elections) and decided to delegate his minister.”

Parliamentary elections are scheduled for June 5, and a presidential poll for June 26.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete convened yesterday’s meeting following visits by various foreign ministers in the region to Burundi, as well as Burundian refugee camps in Tanzania and Rwanda. A report on their visits will be dis- cussed.

The heads of state of Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya were due to meet in the Tanzanian port city to tackle the crisis in Burundi stemming from Nkurunziza’s controversial bid to stand for a third term in office.

It was during a first crisis meeting on May 13 in Tanzania’s economic capital, attended by Nkurunziza, that a top general launched an unsuccessful bid to oust him.

The Burundi capital Bujumbura has been hit by weeks of civil unrest that has left at least 30 people dead in a major crackdown.

Burundi’s government insisted on Friday that parliamentary elections will go ahead on June 5 despite the ongoing political crisis.

A presidential poll is scheduled for June 26.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma was also in Tanzania to attend the emergency summit on the political crisis in Burundi, the presidency said.

“The president has been invited to the emergency summit of the East Africa Community as a special guest” said the presidency in a statement.

His invitation was “in recognition of the pivotal role South Africa had played in the negotiations that succeeded in bringing peace and stability to Burundi following the civil war in that coun- try”.

SA International Relations Minister Maite Nkoane-Mashabane is also attending the summit.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is currently on a working visit to Kenya and South Sudan. As such, Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor is currently acting president of SA. — AFP/News24.