Burundi Army General Announces Coup

The Burundian Army on Wednesday said that it has taken control of the East African Country in a coup d’état.

A Burundi army general in a radio broadcast, said President Pierre Nkurunziza has been “overthrown”, amid unrest over his bid to be re-elected for a third term of office.

Major General Godefroid Niyombareh said a Salvation Committee has been set up to administer the affairs of the country but it is not clear how much support he has within the country.

Thousands protesting against the president in the capital, Bujumbura, are now reported to be celebrating.

Gen Niyombareh, in a statement read to reporters in a military base, said he did not recognize the leadership because the president’s bid for a third term violated the constitution.

“The masses have decided to take into their own hands the destiny of the nation to remedy this unconstitutional environment into which Burundi has been plunged,” the army general said in a radio broadcast.

Soldiers are said to have surrounded the offices of the national broadcaster in Bujumbura.

The presidency’s Twitter site has however denied the coup. In a series of Twitter postings, the Burundi presidency at first said the situation was under control and that there was no coup, then later said that the attempted coup had failed.

President Nkurunziza is currently in Tanzania to meet with leaders of East African countries to discuss the recent violence that rocked the East African country.