Thousands Attend Funeral Of Killed Burundi Opposition Figure

The body of Zedi Feruzi, the leader of Burundi's opposition party UDP, lays on the ground near his home, in Bujumbura, Burundi, Saturday May 23, 2015. The leader of an opposition party was killed Saturday by unknown assailants in the nation’s capital, Bujumbura, local media reported. Iwacu, a prominent news organization in Burundi, reported on its website that Zedi Feruzi of the UPD-Zigamibanga party was slain late Saturday in a drive-by shooting in which one of his bodyguards was also killed. (AP)

BUJUMBURA, BURUNDI (AP) — Thousands of people in Burundi's capital attended the funeral of an opposition leader killed in a drive-by shooting.

Young people singing patriotic songs carried the coffin of Zedi Feruzi on Sunday, stopping traffic in Bujumbura, the capital, as they marched for 90 minutes to a Muslim cemetery. Feruzi and a body guard were killed Saturday night in a drive-by shooting. The killing has caused many of Burundi's opposition figures to go into hiding, saying that those who oppose President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term are not safe.

Burundi has been rocked by four weeks of street protests in which at least 20 have died which started after it was announced Nkurunziza will stand to be re-elected to another term in power. The protests gave rise to an attempted coup on May 13 but army forces loyal to Nkurunziza put down the coup.