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Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza sacks ministers after failed coup | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Burundi's president has sacked three cabinet ministers, as protests resumed after last week's failed coup. | Burundi's president has sacked three cabinet ministers, as protests resumed after last week's failed coup. |
The president's spokesman denied that the dismissal of the defence, external relations and trade ministers was linked to the coup attempt. | |
Soldiers fired in the air to disperse protests against President Pierre Nkurunziza running for a third term in elections due next month. | |
Mr Nkurunziza returned from Tanzania last week after the unrest. | |
The sacked MPs' replacements have already been appointed, including Emmanuel Ntahomvukiye as defence minister. | |
The BBC's Ruth Nesoba in Bujumbura says this will be the first time Burundi has a civilian in charge of the military. | |
Presidential spokesperson Gervais Abayeho told the BBC that Mr Nkurunziza has a constitutional right to reshuffle his cabinet whenever he feels it is necessary. | |
However, our correspondent says the appointments may deepen the ongoing political crisis because the outgoing defence minister is a former soldier with huge following. | |
Earlier on Monday, soldiers fire live rounds in the as protesters chanted for President Nkurunziza to drop his plans to seek a third term in elections. | |
Some businesses were closed and activities stopped in the Nyakabiga, Musaga and Mutakura neighbourhoods of Bujumbura. | |
However, our correspondent says life carried on as normal in areas where the president is popular. | |
Latest African news updates | Latest African news updates |
The UN refugee agency says that more than 105,000 people have fled Burundi into neighbouring countries. | |
Its representative in Tanzania Joyce Mendz-Cole told the BBC's Outside Source programme there was an outbreak of cholera in the Nyarugusu camp, where refugees have been fleeing. | |
She added that there are 77 unconfirmed cases of cholera, 10 confirmed cases and 700 people suffering from various illnesses, most with watery diarrhœa, which is a symptom of cholera. | |
On Sunday, Kenya's president called his Burundian counterpart, urging him to delay the elections. | On Sunday, Kenya's president called his Burundian counterpart, urging him to delay the elections. |
Several alleged leaders of the coup attempt have been arrested but Gen Godefroid Niyombare, who announced it in a radio broadcast, remains on the run. | Several alleged leaders of the coup attempt have been arrested but Gen Godefroid Niyombare, who announced it in a radio broadcast, remains on the run. |
President Nkurunziza made his first official appearance in front of international media since returning from Tanzania on Sunday. | President Nkurunziza made his first official appearance in front of international media since returning from Tanzania on Sunday. |
He said nothing about the coup plot or the current crisis in the country. | |
Instead, he said Burundi faced a specific threat from the Somali Islamist movement al-Shabab. | Instead, he said Burundi faced a specific threat from the Somali Islamist movement al-Shabab. |
Al-Shabab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mahamud Rage denied this, saying the statement was intended "to divert the world's attention from him". | Al-Shabab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mahamud Rage denied this, saying the statement was intended "to divert the world's attention from him". |
Burundi has troops fighting al-Shabab, as part of the African Union mission in Somalia. | Burundi has troops fighting al-Shabab, as part of the African Union mission in Somalia. |
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