Muyinga: more than 50 opponents in detention

People mostly made of Muslims have been imprisoned in the Muyinga police cell (North-Eastern Burundi) since Sunday, October 9. They are suspected of holding an illegal meeting of the opposition UPD Zigamibanga party. Those concerned were provided with portraits of the former head of the CNDD-FDD, Hussein Radjabu in exile for more than seven years, according to our sources. The local police are holding them. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The detainees come from the provinces of Muyinga, Kirundo, Ngozi and Karusi in northeastern Burundi.

There were few women there, even if the number is not known, say witnesses.

“Some were released after a short investigation. But there were more than 70 individuals in total,” explained a policeman from the Muyinga police station.

The people were arrested on Sunday, October 9, 2022 in the commune of Muyinga in the district of Kigwati at the home of a certain Ndiefi, a teacher from the communal high school of Cumba in the commune of Muyinga.

“They were having a meeting in the afternoon sitting on small mats which Muslims use during prayers – as if they were praying,” said a neighbor.

Imbonerakure from the center of Muyinga, led by the local representative of the Shabani youth league, had come en masse to apprehend them.

“When they came they ordered us to sleep on the ground,” said one of the arrested who was released.

The participants in the meeting are activists from the opposition UPD Zigamibanga party, local sources say.

They had on them portraits of Hussein Radjabu, former president of the CNDD-FDD, a native of the commune of Muyinga. This former boss of the presidential party has been in exile for more than seven years after escaping from Bujumbura central prison.

“The main message in this meeting was to let these activists know that there is currently a rebellion being created that must be supported by their party”, said a police source.

According to an administrative source, some CNDD-FDD activists had infiltrated the group posing as new recruits.

The detainees are kept in the cells of the provincial police station in Muyinga.

Leaders of the opposition UPD Zigamibanga party have yet to respond to the allegations. Before the 2020 elections, several other opponents had been arrested in Bururi province (South of the country). They were also in a meeting deemed clandestine by the Burundian authorities.

Some of them were released recently as part of the presidential pardon.