Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza was still in Tanzania on Wednesday early evening, hours after a top general staged an attempted coup in his country, Tanzania's presidency said.

"He is still here in Dar es Salaam," deputy spokesperson for the Tanzanian presidency, Premi Kibanga, told AFP.

President Nkurunziza flew to Tanzania earlier Wednesday to meet regional leaders on the political crisis in his country but a coup was launched against him hours after his departure.