[1] However, the amendments would also allow incumbent President Pierre Nkurunziza, in office since 2005, to stand for re-election,[3] despite having already served three terms.

[6] On 11 May, at least 26 people were killed in Cibitoke Province, allegedly by militiamen from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

[6] The Burundian opposition coalition, Conseil National pour le Respect de l'Accord d'Arusha pour la paix et la Réconciliation au Burundi et la Restauration de l'Etat de Droit (CNARED) called on the Burundian population to boycott the vote which it accused of being the "death warrant" of the Arusha Accords of 2000 which ended the Burundian Civil War.

A Presidential decree threatened three years' imprisonment for anyone convicted of encouraging people not to vote.

[6] Reports from polling stations say some people were being forced to vote to avoid being beaten or arrested.