His four main challengers boycotted the July 21, 2015 controversial presidential election.

Incumbent President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi is certain to win the third term of office in the Tuesday, July 21, 2015 presidential election which has been highly contested by both the opposition and international community with claims that Nkurunziza’s third term bid was unconstitutional.

Polls in the election opened at 06:00 a.m. local time (04:00 GMT), after a night of gunfire and explosions claimed two lives in the capital Bujumbura, BBC reported. Nkurunziza is certain to have landslide victory as his four main rivals including Agathon Rwasa, have boycotted the poll though the electoral commission kept their names on the ballot paper. Only three minor opposition leaders ran for the presidency. Pierre Nkurunziza voted in his hometown,  Ngozi where many people were reported to have turned out to vote.

BBC reported that bursts of gunfire could be heard in at least one district of the capital, as polling stations were about to open. The casualties were reportedly a policeman and a civilian who were believed to have died.  The president's office is said to have described the latest protests as terrorist acts intended to disrupt the election. Chief Communications Adviser Willy Nyamitwe said, "People do it to intimidate voters. They don't want the voters to go to the polls," BBC quoted.

The presidential election has been criticized and further aggravates Burundi’s souring relations with the international community. East African Communities leaders who recommended that the polls hold on July 30, 2015 to give dialogue a chance are certainly disappointed as their recommendations were not implemented and their mediator, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni also attempted thwarted negotiation efforts.   The African Union (AU) has not sent observers - the first time it has taken such a stance against a member state. According to BBC reports, the African Union says the security climate does not allow for free and fair elections.  

The European Union on its part, has reportedly expressed disappointment at Nkurunziza’s obstinacy to run for the third term despite protests over the constitutionality of the decision and in a show of anger,  has cut some aid to Burundi. Critics say that a win for President Nkurunziza would be a hollow triumph that will result in him governing a bitterly-divided nation. Some 3.8 million Burundians were eligible to vote.