By Andrew Ross
NAIROBI
Scores of Burundians living in Kenya took to the streets of capital Nairobi on Saturday to protest plans by Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza run for a third term in office.
Protesters waved placards calling on the Burundian president to stop violence in the south-eastern African country.
"This is absurd, why should Burundians die just because President Nkurunziza wants power for a third time," John Bizoza, a student in a Nairobi University, told Anadolu Agency.
"We as the Burundian Diaspora in Kenya together with the friends of Burundi in Kenya want him (Nkurunziza) to step down," Bizoza, an organizer of Saturday's protest, said.
"More than 300,000 people were killed in the past in fights in Burundi. We don't want to go back to those dark days," he added.
For nearly two weeks, Burundi has been rocked by protests against Nkurinziza's plans to seek a third term as president – a move opposition forces describe as "unconstitutional."
Since protests first erupted on April 26, 18 people have been killed and some 500 others have been thrown in jail, according to reports by the opposition.
Morris Odhiambo, another organizer of the protest, called on Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the current chair of the East African Community, to help stop the violence in Burundi.
"We want to tell President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete to stop hiding and come out and address peace concerns in Burundi,” Odhiambo said.
"As they go to the summit next week, the interests of the citizens of East Africa and the interests of the citizens of Burundi must at all-times be the principle guide in their meeting," he said.
"The government of Burundi must remind the president to respect and uphold his oath of office which he solemnly took before the people of Burundi and the wider international community."
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Protestors called on the international community to step in to help end violence in Burundi.
"The deafening regional and international silence to protests and escalating violence sweeping Burundi is alarming," Regina Opondo, who participated in Saturday's rally, told Anadolu Agency.
"It is in the best interest of Burundi and its people that we formally lodge this petition concerning the current political situation," Opondo said.
"If the situation in Burundi is not properly addressed, this could adversely affect the still fragile peace in Burundi and plunge the country back into civil war."
According to Burundi's constitution, the president can serve only two terms in office.
In late March, in a move that ignited controversy across the African nation, Nkurunziza – in power since 2005 – proposed a constitutional amendment that would – if ratified – allow him to run for a third presidential term.
Despite parliament's rejection of the proposal, the bill, according to the country's laws, can be brought before the assembly for a second vote.
Critics say a third-term run by Nkurunziza would violate the terms of the 2000 Arusha agreement, which – along with ending a Hutu-Tutsi civil war – stipulated that Burundi's president should serve no more than two terms in office.
"The president is blatantly betraying his oath of office and could likely be accused of high treason by deliberately committing acts contemporary to the superior interests of the nation and gravely compromising national unity,” Michel Ndayishimiye, another protester, said.
"We are here to say no to violations of human rights, no to violations of freedom of expressions and no to violations of peace agreements that we got after so many years of conflict."
On Saturday, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said that violence in Burundi was a threat to peace and sability in East Africa.
"The consequences of the unrest in Burundi will be felt beyond the country's borders especially neighboring countries," Kenyatta said in a statement.
He went on to call on Burundian leaders to engage in dialogue to bring an end to violence in the country.
"Mutual agreements by all parties will ensure the electoral process brings peace to Burundi," he said.
