Bujumbura: the noose is tightening around former Prime Minister Alain Guillaume Bunyoni

This Tuesday afternoon, soldiers and police officers guarding the residence of former Prime Minister Alain Guillaume Bunyoni were sent back to their respective barracks. This, after a search that took place at his private residence in Gasekebuye in the south of the commercial city Bujumbura. He will now only be entitled to a guard of five police officers during the day only. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

These are soldiers and police officers from specialized units in charge of protecting the country’s institutions and senior authorities, including the head of state and the ruling CNDD-FDD party.

According to security sources that testified on condition of anonymity “gates at the entrance of the private residence of the former all-powerful prime minister were destroyed” on Tuesday afternoon.

In the morning, the one who has never stayed in the palace reserved for prime ministers and vice-presidents had received a visit from agents of the SNR (National Intelligence Service) and police officers who carried out a search of his residence, sources familiar with the matter testified.

“Nothing compromising was seized there. But all the company vehicles were recovered by security forces”, said a witness.

According to our sources, soldiers and police officers guarding the residence of the former prime minister have been sent back to their respective barracks.

“Only five police officers remain assigned to his security. They will also have to leave the premises during the night”, assures a police source.

Another security source that confided in SOS Médias Burundi spoke of a “possible arrest of the former all-powerful prime minister”.

Our editors have not been able to verify where the order “to deprive custody of Mr. Bunyoni” came from. But the two brigades in charge of protecting institutions and senior authorities are commanded by relatives of President Neva who dismissed him at the beginning of September this year.

Last week, while the head of state was in the United States to participate in the U.S.-Africa summit, the world’s leading power again put Alain Guillaume Bunyoni on the list of persons under U.S. sanctions.

The United States accuses him of being involved in “serious human rights violations”.

The man has often been cited in reports by international organizations in “acts of corruption and repression of opponents” in the small East African nation as well as in the eastern part of Congo.