Bujumbura: Imbonerakure go door to door collecting “forced” contributions for the ruling party

They knock on all doors, neighborhood by neighborhood, shop by shop, store by store, bar by bar…, in short, every person running a business or doing any activity must be visited, according to one of the Imbonerakure (members of the CNDD-FDD youth league) to gather financial contribution for the next year’s electoral campaign. The practice also concerns other regions of Burundi. Activists from other political formation are demanding that only members of the ruling party make these contributions. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

These members of the CNDD-FDD youth league circulate with receipt books and pens in their hands. They are accompanied by an administrator who supervises the activities. He puts himself somewhere to identify residents who are reluctant to give this contribution.

Each receipt is for 1000 Burundian francs but those who want can give more.

According to an Imbonerakure met in a neighborhood in the north of the commercial city Bujumbura, the party is currently collecting funds for the 2025 legislative election.

“Every single resident of the city of Bujumbura must pay this money since it is this party which governs and to which we are indebted. Whether we are a member or not,” he said.

He adds that he is only collecting this contribution without knowing many details about this activity.

Some residents denounce these “forced” contributions and wonder if other political parties will be authorized to do the same the day they decide to collect donations and funds.

During the collection, the grassroot administrative staff and the Imbonerakure identify the households and people who pay the contributions.

Those who refuse to give in to this “forced” collection fear reprisals.
https://www.sosmediasburundi.org/2024/08/23/buyengero-lacces-au-marche-conditionne-par-la-cotisation-pour-les-legislatives-de-2025/

Some residents of the city of Bujumbura refuse to pay funds to a party they don’t support.

The same mobilization of funds does not also spare unemployed households.

The heads of various state services were ordered to collect contributions from their subordinates but also to convince those who would try not to give this contribution, according to a source close to the ruling party.

The operation to collect these “forced” contributions began on August 19, 2024 and should end on Thursday August 29, 2024.