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Crowds Cheer Apparent Coup in Burundi — But Celebration Might Be Premature

A top army general announced this morning that Burundi’s president had been “dismissed,” but the military’s allegiances appear divided and the president is denying the attempted coup.
Imagen por Jean Pierre Harerimana/Reuters

Cheering crowds took to the streets of Burundi's capital city Bujumbura today after a top army general announced that President Pierre Nkurunziza — whose decision to seek a third term in office sparked widespread, violent protests — had been "dismissed" in an apparent coup d'état. The celebration, however, may have been premature.

Nkurunziza, who began the day in Tanzania attending a conference of East African leaders seeking to resolve Burundi's political crisis, posted a flurry of messages to Twitter and Facebook denying the coup, which is being led by his former ally, Maj. Gen. Godefroid Niyombare.

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Niyombare was flanked by high-level military members, police, and a former government official when he spoke to reporters about the coup early Wednesday morning local time, but the military appears somewhat divided in their allegiances. Some troops have seemingly remained loyal to Nkurunziza, while others came out in support of the coup. French radio network RFI has reported that negotiations are currently underway between the two camps.

Army officers loyal to the president were reportedly still in control of Burundi's national radio and television stations. The main airport has been shut down, forcing a flight from Brussels to divert through Nairobi. It's unclear where the loyalties lie with the troops controlling the airport. Nkuruniziza remains outside of the country, with some reports saying he's still in Tanzania's Capital Dar es Salaam and others claiming he's headed to Uganda or Kenya.

Related: Video Shows Protesters Beat Up Female Police Officer in Burundi as Election Demonstrations Continue

— Thierry Uwamahoro (@ThierryU)May 13, 2015

Speaking at a Bujumbura military barracks, Niyombare, the former defense force chief of staff, said he was in the process of setting up a transitional government with legislators, civil society groups, and other stakeholders. He justified the coup by citing the president's decision to defy the two-term limit set by the constitution and the 2005 peace accord that ended 12 years of civil war.

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"Regarding President Nkurunziza's arrogance and defiance of the international community which advised him to respect the constitution and Arusha peace agreement, the committee for the establishment of the national concord decide: President Nkurunziza is dismissed, his government is dismissed too," Niyombare said.

Niyombare also took to the popular independent public radio station Radio Public Africa (RPA) to announce Nkurunziza's removal from office. Sounds of gunfire — possibly celebratory — tore through the streets after the announcement. It was the RPA's first broadcast since the government shut the station down at the end of April on the second day of protests.

La situation est maitrisée, il n'y a pas de coup d'Etat au — Burundi | Présidence (@BdiPresidence)May 13, 2015

"The situation is under control, there is no coup in #Burundi."

Tentative de coup d'Etat échouée au — Burundi | Présidence (@BdiPresidence)May 13, 2015

"Coup attempt has failed in Burundi."

Communiqué de Presse : Coup d'Etat fantaisisteC'est avec regret que nous avons appris qu'un groupe de… — Burundi | Présidence (@BdiPresidence)May 13, 2015

"Press Release: Make-believe coup. It is with regret that we learned that a group of…"

Nkurunziza, a former rebel leader and member of the ruling CNDD-FDD party, has claimed the power grab was unsuccessful. An aide to the president told Reuters they viewed the reports as a "joke." In a flurry of tweets, the president's official account said "the situation was under control," that there had been "no coup in Burundi," and that "the attempted coup has failed."

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Niyombare's announcement came nearly three weeks after protests began, sparked by Nkurunziza's April 25 decision to seek re-election. In the days since, at least 22 people have died, hundreds have been injured, and police have detained more than 600 people in a brutal crackdown on dissent. Demonstrators have also clashed with suspected pro-government militias, including the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD party, the Imbonerakure.

Related: Barricades, Burning Tires, and Bad Blood: On the Streets During the Protests in Burundi

Protesters celebrating after coup announcement near the state broadcaster in — Daniel Finnan (@Daniel_Finnan)May 13, 2015

— OneVoice ™ (@OnevoiceGLR)May 13, 2015

As word spread of the coup, citizens sang and danced in the street, and photos showed people thanking army troops driving through the streets of Bujumbura. Some clashes were reported as police tried to disperse the crowds with tear gas, but troops seemed to replace the police officers throughout the city. Protesters have claimed the cops were acting as an arm of the government, while the military has seemingly remained neutral and in some cases shielded demonstrators from violence.

In addition to his defense force posting, Niyombare previously served as the head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS). A member of the ruling CNDD-FDD party, he was Nkurunziza's ally during the Burundian civil war. In February, just three months after his military promotion, the party ousted Niyombare from his post for having discouraged Nkurunziza from attempting his run for a third term.

As violence erupted in Bujumbura in recent weeks, more than 50,000 people fled, crossing into the neighboring countries of Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and leaving the international community scrambling to handle the displaced.

Several foreign governments, including the United States, have criticized Nkurunziza for seeking to maintain his grip on power, and, the purpose of the meeting of East African leaders in Tanzania was to peacefully resolve the situation. Instead, it seems Nkurunziza's decision travel abroad may have led to his sudden downfall.