Bujumbura: Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza on Wednesday signed a decree to postpone parliamentary elections for a week from May 26 until early June.
Nkurunziza's decision to delay the elections followed a request from the election commission, Willy Nyamitwe, the presidential adviser for media, told The Associated Press.
The postponement comes after a failed coup last week which was triggered by weeks of unrest over Nkurunziza's bid for a third term in office.
Police were back on the streets Wednesday battling protesters. The army had been deployed Monday to battle protesters putting the military in a difficult position as it had previously remained neutral over the anti-Nkurunziza demonstrations.
Protesters say Nkurunziza's bid for a third term in the June 26 presidential election is illegal because the constitution only allows two five-year terms.
