Bujumbura, Burundi---Burundi holds parliamentary and local elections Monday despite weeks of violent protests against President Pierre Nkurunziza's divisive bid for a third term.
Since demonstrations began in late April, around 70 people have been killed and scores wounded in clashes between demonstrators and police and ruling party militia. At least 127,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries.
The opposition says Nkurunziza's move is unconstitutional and violates a peace deal that ended a civil war in 2006. Opposition parties are boycotting the elections, saying the volatile situation prevents a fair vote. Presidential elections are due in July 15.
Here are the key dates and events leading up to Monday's vote.
April 26, 2015: Police clash with protesters in several parts of the capital, a day after Nkurunziza is declared candidate for a third term in office by his ruling CNDD-FDD. Police fire guns as well as tear gas and water cannons to prevent thousands of youths from marching to the city centre.
Demonstrators are shot dead in clashes with police, others are killed in alleged attacks by ruling party militia.
April 27: Police arrest leading human rights activist Pierre-Claver Mbonimpa and hold him for 30 hours. Other rights leaders go into hiding.
May 5: The Constitutional Court clears Nkurunziza to run for a third term. The judgement, signed by six out of seven judges, comes hours after the court's vice-president fled the country after refusing to sign the judgement, claiming judges had been subjected to death threats.
May 9: The government orders protesters to "immediately and unconditionally" end the protests and orders all barricades to be removed within 48 hours. Demands are ignored.
May 13: A top Burundian general, Godefroid Niyombare announces the overthrow of Nkurunziza, hours after the president left for neighbouring Tanzania for talks with regional leaders on ending the crisis.
May 15: Coup leaders announce that they are surrendering, before being arrested by loyalist forces. Niyombare avoids capture and goes on the run, according to the government. Nkurunziza returns to the presidential palace in the capital.
May 22: Attackers hurl grenades into a crowd in Bujumbura, killing three people, in the first such acts to apparently deliberately target a civilian crowd.
May 23: The leader of a small opposition party, Zedi Feruzi, is shot dead.
May 31: East African nations call for the elections to be delayed by at least a month and a half.
June 9: A government spokesman says Nkurunziza's decision to seek a third term is "non-negotiable".
June 22: More grenade attacks kill four people and wound around 30, with the government and opposition groups trading blame for the blasts.
June 25: The country's second vice president seeks refuge in Belgium after urging Nkurunziza to step down, and fleeing the country. Around 200 students break into the US embassy after police threaten to break up their camp outside the compound.
June 26: Opposition parties announce they will boycott the upcoming elections, saying it is not possible to hold a fair vote following weeks of violence. Civil society groups back the boycott. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says elections should be postponed, but Burundi refuses.
June 27: Election material is torched and grenades explode in Bujumbura, the latest in a string of attacks.
June 28: The national electoral commission says all voting material is ready and has been delivered. Parliament head Pie Ntavyohanyuma said he had fled to Belgium denouncing the president's "illegal" third term bid. The African Union says it will not act as observer in the elections over fears the polls are not credible.
AFP
