President Third Term Bid: Burundi Judge Flees the Country Over Death Threat

Burundi is on serious fire now as the fight to stop the president Pierre Nkurunziza for coming back for a third term intensifies. One of Burundi'd most senior judges has fled the country as he was about to help rule on the legality of the president's third term bid.

Sylvere Nimpagaritse, Vice president of Burundi's constitutional court told AFP news agency that the courts judges have faced death threats.

Under the constitution, presidents can only be elected to two terms in office, but Mr Nkurunziza's allies say his first term does not count as he was appointed by parliament and not voted in.
Mr. Nimpagaritse says that most of the court's judges think it is unconstitutional, but they are now under pressure to change their minds.

Mr. Nkurunziza has been in power since 2005 when a 12 years civil war officially ended.