Burundian Presidential Candidate Arrested in Bujumbura Amid Political Upheaval

Leading opposition figure and presidential candidate Audifax Ndabitoreye was arrested in front of cameras at the La Panoramique Hotel in Bujumbura, Burundi, on Wednesday, May 6, by police who accused him of “insurrection,” according to local reports.

Ndabitoreye gave himself up to police after meeting with East African Community foreign ministers and Burundi leaders at the hotel in an effort to try to put the electoral process back on track. His arrest comes just one day after Burundi’s constitutional court ruled that President Pierre Nkurunziza could run for a third term, triggering a wave of protests in the country.

Under the current constitution, presidents can only be elected to two terms in office.

This footage captures Audifax saying to a crowd, “If this is happening to me, it can happen to you.” Credit: Twitter/SamanthaMI