Third term

Electoral commission head Pierre-Claver Ndayicariye said Wednesday that between 72 percent and 80 percent of Burundi's 3.8 million voters cast their ballots.

Nkurunziza is expected to win after some opposition groups boycotted the poll. Main opposition figure Agathon Rwasa said his attempts to campaign had been frustrated by the government.

Turnout was low in the capital, Bujumbura, and one province but 16 other provinces had a good level of voters, said the head of Burundi's electoral commission Claver Ndayicariye. Results are expected in two days, he said.

With some of the opposition boycotting the election and others charging that they were not allowed to campaign, Nkurunziza, 51, is not facing a strong electoral challenge.

The gunshots and explosions kept away voters, though most polling stations opened at around 6 a.m. or 7 a.m., said Honore Niyomukiza, who is in charge of voting centers in Kamenge District.

With some of the opposition boycotting the election and others saying that they were not allowed to campaign, Nkurunziza, 51, is not facing a strong challenge in his bid for a third term.