KAMPALA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Over 900 Burundians have fled to Uganda claiming that they are being forced to participate in the voting exercise for a new constitution, an operation update by the UN refugee agency said on Thursday.
The update by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued here said in the month of April 994 Burundians crossed into Uganda seeking refuge.
"The latest wave of new arrivals from Burundi revealed that they fled due to forced participation in the voting exercise for new constitution scheduled in May 2018," the report said.
The new arrivals bring the total number of Burundian refugees who have fled to Uganda to 2,074 individuals since the beginning of this year, according to UNHCR figures.
The refugees are mostly from the provinces of Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke and Karusi.
The others are from Kayanza, Kirundo, Muramvya, Muyinga, Ngozi and Ruyigi.
The UN agency said the refugees are also reporting persecution by the Imbonerakure militias as well as forced repatriation from Tanzania and Rwanda.
Burundians will vote in a referendum on the country's draft constitution on May 17. The draft constitution extends the presidential term from five years provided in the 2005 constitution to seven years and allows the president to serve two consecutive terms.
The draft does not ban the current president Pierre Nkurunziza to run again in 2020.
