Burundi President appeals for calm and insists: I’m still running the country

Burundi’s President has appealed for calm after one general claimed he had been deposed while another insisted an attempted coup had failed. Army Chief of Staff General Prime Niyongabo said loyalist forces still controlled all the country’s strategic points. The claim came a day after another general, Godefroid Niyombare, said he had sacked President Pierre Nkurunziza for seeking an unconstitutional third term in office. While the leader’s whereabouts are unclear, a brief state statement on the presidential website said: “President Pierre Nkurunziza calls on the Burundian people to remain calm.”

The national defence force calls on the mutineers to give themselves up.

Armed forces chief General Prime Niyongabo

A Tanzanian official had said he left for Burundi on Wednesday from Tanzania, where he had been attending a summit. One security source said he was still in Tanzania because his plane could not fly to Bujumbura as its airport was closed, but there has been no official announcement. General Niyongabo said in a statement broadcast on state radio: “The coup attempt failed, loyal forces are still controlling all strategic points." A journalist at the state broadcaster reportedly said there was still heavy gunfire being heard around the state television and radio station in the capital on, while another witness said loud blasts were heard in the capital.

Africa Burundi