BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AP) – With little fanfare or a public announcement beforehand, Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza was sworn in for a third term on Thursday in this central African country which has been plagued by political violence.
Nkurunziza was sworn in at Parliament in front of banners bearing the green, white and red colors of the national flag as lawmakers and others looked on. Soldiers in dress uniforms and in camouflage stood nearby. bunting
The event did not elicit celebrations on the streets of Bujumbura, the capital. Nkurunziza won elections last month which the U.S. and U.K. said lacked credibility because of intimidation of the opposition and a clampdown on independent media
Burundi has been in turmoil since the April announcement of Nkurunziza’s candidacy that many said violated the Constitution and a peace accord. Protests boiled over in May when soldiers launched a coup. It was quickly put down by the president’s loyalists.
The violence has left more than 100 people dead and created tens of thousands of refugees.