18 coup plotters charged to court, citizens threaten to intensify protests on Monday

About 18 people have been charged to court in Burundi for being co-conspirators in a failed coup to overthrow the country's president Pierre Nkurunziza.

Some of the family members of the accused confirmed the court charge on Sunday, May 17.

Bujumbura, Burundi capital was heated earlier as about 100 Burundians trooped to the streets, protesting Nkurunziza’s third term bid.

The President had said citizens should halt the week-long protest, but they defied it.

“A lot of us citizens do not want the constitution to be violated as he is not allowed to lead for the third term. We will demonstrate until he steps down,’’ Nduwimana Belamie, one of the protesters, said.

Burundi was plunged into deep crisis after Nkurunziza announced he was running for another five-year term, with clashes between police and protesters stirring memories of an ethnically-driven civil war that ended a decade ago.

According to the opponents, Nkurunziza’s decision violates the constitution and the Arusha deal to end the war that eroded rebel groups of the majority Hutu population, including one led by Nkurunziza.

However, the army has been mixed and has absorbed rival factions, but the coup attempt exposed divisions.

The fate of General Godefroid Niyombare, the mastermind of the coup, which was announced on Wednesday, May 13, is still not clear.

Meanwhile, residents of Bujumbura said they are planning to come out in large numbers on Monday, May 18, to protest against Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term.

More than 105,000 people have already fled to neighbouring countries, including to Rwanda, with the same ethnic mix as Burundi.