The speaker of Burundi's parliament has fled the central African state ahead of the country’s planned parliamentary and presidential elections. 

Speaking from Belgium, Pie Ntavyohanyuma confirmed on Sunday that he had left the African nation due to the violence and denounced President Pierre Nkurunziza’s controversial bid to run for a third term in office.

"For the moment, I am forced to stay in Brussels... I stayed here given the difficulties in my country, difficulties which are due to the illegal third mandate of the President of the Republic," media outlets quoted Ntavyohanyuma as saying.

"On the eve of the election ... I would like to say to him (Nkurunziza) that the mandate he wants to have is illegal. I would like to say to him that forcing through the election is senseless," noted the parliamentary president.

Ntavyohanyuma also urged President Nkurunziza to delay the election to have an "inclusive" vote and take concrete steps for national reconciliation. 

"He could give up and ... organize inclusive elections which could reconcile all Burundans who have been exiled to return to Burundi." 

Sources say Ntavyohanyuma's move would deal fresh blow to the Burundian president's bid for reelection.

The development comes days after Burundi Vice President Gervais Rufyikiri also fled to Belgium on Wednesday, saying he feared for his life.

The two high-ranking officials have been critical of President Nkurunziza's decision to run for a third term in presidential elections due next month.

Local and Parliamentary polls are planned for Monday, ahead of a presidential vote on July 15 in the country.

The opposition parties have said that they would boycott the upcoming elections until conditions for “peaceful, transparent and inclusive” polls are met.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also called for the elections to be scrapped.

Critics say it would not be possible to hold a fair elections with 127,000 Burundi nationals having fled into neighboring countries over fear of further violence.

However, Burundi's national election commission has announced that the country’s upcoming polls will go ahead as scheduled despite the ongoing bloodshed and violence.

At least three people were killed in a fresh wave of violence overnight Saturday.

Burundi was hit by a wave of violent protests in late April, when Nkurunziza announced a decision to run for a third consecutive five-year term.

The opposition parties say the decision is unconstitutional and violates a 2006 peace deal that ended 13 years of civil war.

Rights groups say over 80 people have been killed and more than 1,000 jailed in Burundi over the past months.

JR/HMV/SS