News / Africa

Burundi Ruling Party Wins Parliamentary Elections

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Authorities in Burundi say the country's ruling party won an overwhelming majority in Friday's parliamentary elections, which were boycotted by most opposition parties.

The country's electoral commission said Tuesday President Pierre Nkurunziza's party took 81 of the 106 seats being contested.  The Uprona party took 17 seats, and another smaller party claimed five.  

Under Burundian law, three additional seats will go to the Twa, the smallest of Burundi's three ethnic groups.  

Running unopposed, Mr. Nkurunziza was re-elected in last month's presidential poll.    

The opposition decided to boycott both votes after accusing the president of using fraud to win local elections in May.  International observers said there was no evidence of tampering.

Security has also been a concern during this election season.  Burundi has been on alert since Somali insurgents threatened to attack the country for its role in the peacekeeping mission in Somalia.

The Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for bombings in Uganda earlier this month that killed 76 people.  It said the attacks were in retaliation for Ugandan participation in the peacekeeping force.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.

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