It has urged the candidates and the public to behave responsibly and avoid inciting ethnic divisions.

Written by Zhao Zhao, the article said that some officials blame social problems on ethnic discrimination, thereby inciting ethnic hatred.

Interior Minister Massoudou Hassoumi this week accused leading opposition figure Amadou Hama of calling for a coup and inciting ethnic hatred.

Pierre Nkurunziza is Burundi's fearsome, undemocratic president who stands accused of inciting ethnic tensions while dismissing any negative stories on him as lies.