The vice president of Burundi's election commission has fled the country ahead of the poll, sources said yesterday, amid a political crisis triggered by President Pierre Nkurunziza's decision to run for a third term.

Spes-Caritas Ndironkeye joins a senior judge and a host of dissidents who have fled the country following a failed coup attempt against Nkurunziza and as sometimes deadly protests against his decision to stand continue.

The political crisis is the biggest in the east African nation since its ethnically charged civil war ended in 2005.

It was not immediately clear if Ndironkeye's absence, if confirmed, would have any impact on parliamentary and local authority elections this week or the June 26 presidential vote.