Bujumbura, Burundi - Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza was in a confident, defiant mood as his motorcade rolled back into the capital Bujumbura following a failed coup, cheered by supporters and safely under the watch of loyalist troops who fought off the uprising.
With the plotters in detention or on the run, state radio still broadcasting the government message and independent media silenced, there was little doubt of who was in charge after two days of uncertainty.
The president was also quick to order the opposition and activists to admit defeat and end their protests against his controversial bid to stand for a third consecutive term in office.
Analysts and observers, however, say the crisis in the small central African nation is not over yet, with the underlying cause -- Nkurunziza's determination to cling to power at all costs -- still unresolved.
"The Burundi crisis is not over with the failure of the coup. Many Burundians are scared and continue to leave the country as fast as they can," said Thierry Vircoulon of the International Crisis Group (ICG), a conflict prevention think-tank.
According to the United Nations, at least 100,000 people have fled the country, fearing their homeland could be plunged back into civil war less than 10 years after the last conflict ended.
"They are worried by increasing authoritarianism that marked the president's second mandate, by the lack of social services and economic development, as well as by rising corruption," Vircoulon said. "Nkurunziza should acknowledge that the country is in trouble and unity needs to be restored."
Instead, however, Nkurunziza wants to press ahead with elections -- seemingly confident that he now has the momentum.
"The president wishes to organise the elections as soon as possible, but attempting to do so will only contribute to worsening the situation," Vircoulon said. "The holding of acceptably free and fair elections is now impossible."
AFP
