(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The arsonists watched from the side of the hill as a house, belonging to a local boss of Burundi's ruling party, went up in smoke.
Three soldiers stationed in the area quickly come running in the hope of giving chase, but the arsonists disappear into the surrounding hills and melt into the countryside, leaving behind frustrated troops and a smouldering running under a buckled tin roof.
The house belonged to the vice president of the ruling CNDD-FDD party in the municipality of Mugongomanga, just outside the capital Bujumbura - and an area of strong opposition to President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid to stand for a third consecutive term in office.
The capital itself has seen more than a month of street protests against the ruling party, which have met with a fierce crackdown by police, backed up by members of the Imbonerakure, the CNDD-FDD's youth wing that the United Nation's has branded as a militia.
Close to 40 people have died in the clashes, with scores more wounded or arrested, while opposition leaders, independent journalists and civil society activists have fled the country.
But Rural Bujumbura province, where Butagazwa is situated, has also seen its share of protests - more isolated and sporadic, and largely unnoticed since the shutting down of independent media during fighting and attacks that followed a failed coup attempt on Mat 13.
The road leading to the torched hill-top house, which belonged to Diomedes Ndabahinyuye, is littered with tree trunks and stumps laid by demonstrators to obstruct the traffic.
According to local residents, hundreds of youth had descended on the area early Friday morning, apparently to avenge another protester who was shot and wounded by police the previous week.
"A week ago there were protests, and the police came to disperse them," said Bruno Gahungu, a brother-in-law of the owner of the burned house. "They accused Diomedes of having called out the police. That's why they came."
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