Karusi-Rumonge: the two provinces have new governors

Léonard Niyonsaba and Dévote Nizigiyimana are respectively new governors of the province of Rumonge (South-West of Burundi) and Karusi (Center-East). They were approved by the upper house of the Burundian parliament on Wednesday on the proposal of the President of the Republic. In Rumonge, residents are delighted with the change at the head of the province. The outgoing governor leaves behind a poor province despite its many strengths, a province that ranks last in school results, etc. Residents ask the new governor to weld the social fabric broken by the one he replaces. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Léonard Niyonsaba who has just been propelled to the head of the province of Rumonge was until then chief of staff of the outgoing governor, Consolateur Nitunga. The latter was appointed 2nd Embassy Counselor of Burundi in Kinshasa in the DRC.

The other province that has had a new governor is Karusi. This is Devote Nizigiyimana. She was an assistant at the ENS (École Normale Supérieure).

In Rumonge, residents regret that Consolateur Nitunga leaves behind a province unable to take advantage of the assets available to the territorial entity.

“He was so corrupt instead of promoting trade. The lifting of the measure prohibiting the import of food did not bear fruit.
A kg of rice costs up to 3,600 Burundian francs, for example, while we have a port where goods pass easily, […]”, regret residents who recall that President Ndayishimiye humiliated the outgoing governor in June following acts of corruption around fuel and cement, an adviser to the governor of Rumonge having been dismissed for the same facts that month.

Local observers hope that the new governor will have difficulty bringing together the population divided by the one he replaces because “he did everything to divide people on an ethnic basis. He is very virulent, has a hatred against Tutsis and all political opponents”.

Rumonge is among the provinces that present many opportunities. It borders Lake Tanganyika, produces palm oil consumed in the small East African nation and neighboring countries as well as very large quantities of fruit.