Bujumbura — The first rounds of Burundi's elections began today, with high voter turnout expected.
But, the vote was held under a tense atmosphere that has already led to a murder, teargas, and the expulsion of a major human-rights group.
Incumbent President Pierre Nkurunziza this year seeks another term in elections pitting him against Mr Agathon Rwasa, leader of former rebel group Forces for National Liberation.
District elections are often an indicator of how the rest of the vote will go.
A political party that gets over 50 per cent of the votes in the communal election in the first round is likely to win the presidential and parliamentary poll.
In some areas, voters formed long queues at several polling stations an hour earlier than the official 6 am starting time, in the second democratic election since Burundi emerged from a two-decade war.
"Before coming here to vote, I went to church first to pray so that we can have a peaceful election," said Jeremie, a voter in the southern Bujumbura district of Kinindo.
Some 3.5 million Burundians are expected to vote for 1,935 district councillors.
"I arrived here at 5.30 a.m. and was among the people who voted first," said 45-year-old Amissi Nahimana at the Buyenzi commune.
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