Mpanda : an Imbonerakure killed by his peers

Claude Nahayo, member of the CNDD-FDD youth league, was strangled by his peers on Sunday night around 11 p.m. Six Imbonerakure are detained by the Mpanda police in Bubanza province (western Burundi). INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The victim died at Mpanda hospital, an hour after being attacked by his peers in the locality of Murengeza.

“Claude had spent the day at a CNDD-FDD party meeting in Mpanda. In the evening, he went to a bar to have a drink. Around 11 p.m., he returned home but before arriving at his home, he fell into an ambush set by other Imbonerakure. He was strangled, his cry for help was belatedly heard. We found him dying and we took him to Mpanda hospital, he died a few moments after having been received in the emergency room,” confides a resident of Murengeza.

The death of this father of three, who was described as a very zealous Imbonerakure, was confirmed by doctors around midnight. The same night, administration authorities arrested two Imbonerakure.

“Clothing items were discovered, hidden where the victim was found. This helped us get our hands on other suspects,” said a member of the ruling party in Murengeza who participated in the operation.

In all, seven people, including six members of the youth league of the former Hutu rebellion, are in detention at the Mpanda district police station, according to police sources.

The six Imbonerakure had also been invited to the same meeting as the victim. The seventh detainee is a neighbor of Claude Nahayo.

The Imbonerakure participate alongside the military and police in night patrols in the small East African nation.

Since last year, President Évariste Ndayishimiye has brought them back into the spotlight after displaying behavior aimed at disciplining them since his anticipated accession to power in June 2020 following the unexpected death of his predecessor Piere Nkurunziza.

Claude Nahayo was the father of three children. The reasons for his assassination remain unclear, say local administration authorities.