Burundi is set to have a referendum on May 17 to determine whether to modify the constitution and extend presidential terms from five to seven years. Human rights organizations are skeptical that the vote will be conducted in a fair and open environment, citing sporadic instances of violence and abductions. Emmanuel Bigirimana, the leader of Buganda district, reported an incident in the village of Ruhagarika where armed individuals arrived and began shooting, resulting in casualties who were either killed on the spot or taken to the hospital. Approximately 20 attackers wearing military uniforms were involved in the crisis that erupted in Burundi in April 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his intention to seek a third term, a move deemed unconstitutional by the opposition. This decision led to violence, with some of Nkurunziza's opponents taking up arms against him. As a result, an estimated 400,000 people have fled to neighboring countries to escape the conflict. Both government officials and members of the opposition have been victims of the violence between the rival factions. The suggested modifications to the constitution would restrict the president to serving two consecutive terms, without considering previous terms, potentially allowing Nkurunziza to remain in power until 2034. Some residents in the village, who chose to remain anonymous, speculated that the recent attack was a warning against supporting the constitutional changes. However, Bigirimana dismissed this theory, stating that the attackers were not driven by political motives, as they targeted three households and only killed women and children. He explained that the attack was a result of a personal vendetta rather than a political agenda.