Burundi is set to have a referendum on May 17 to decide whether to change the constitution and extend presidential terms from five to seven years. Human rights organizations believe the vote will not be conducted in a fair and free environment, as there have been occasional incidents of violence and kidnappings. Emmanuel Bigirimana, the leader of Buganda district, reported an attack in Ruhagarika village on Friday night, where armed individuals arrived and began shooting, resulting in casualties. Approximately 20 attackers, most of whom were wearing military uniforms, were involved in the crisis that began in Burundi in April 2015. The turmoil was sparked by President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision to seek a third term, which was deemed unconstitutional by the opposition. Despite Nkurunziza's re-election, some of his adversaries resorted to armed resistance. Rights organizations report that around 400,000 individuals have fled to neighboring nations to escape the conflict. Both government officials and opposition members have been victims of retaliatory violence between the opposing factions. The proposed constitutional amendments would restrict the president to serving two consecutive terms, without considering previous terms. This could potentially allow Nkurunziza to remain in power until 2034. Three anonymous residents in the village suggested that a recent attack was intended to discourage support for the constitutional changes. However, Bigirimana dismissed this idea, stating that the attackers were not driven by political motives, as they targeted three households and only killed women and children. He claimed that the attack was a result of a personal vendetta rather than a political agenda.