Bujumbura, May 24 (IANS): The leader of a Burundi opposition party was killed Saturday night as he was heading home in the Burundian capital of Bujumbura, witnesses told Xinhua.

The witnesses said Zedi Feruzi, chairman of the Burundian Union for Peace and Development (UPD-Zigamibanga), was shot by unidentified people when he was walking home in Bujumbura's Ngagara district, adding that one of his guards was also shot dead and another seriously injured.

The killers ran away after the shooting, the witnesses said.

The crime came days after opposition protests against the third term bid of Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza in the June 26 presidential election.

UPD-Zigamibanga chairman Zedi Feruzi was among the organizers of protests against Nkurunziza's third term bid that staged protests since April 26.

The UPD is a member of the Democrats' Alliance for Change (ADC- Ikibiri) opposition coalition. Organizers of protests include the opposition and the civil society.

Burundi is to hold elections this year. Main polls including legislative and local government elections are due on June 5 while the presidential election is due on June 26.