Gitega : “the country is not given, it is grabbed” : Ndikuriyo ignites Umukenyererarugamba Day

On Saturday, the Ingoma Stadium in Gitega, Burundi’s political capital, vibrated to the rhythm of the songs and slogans of the ruling party, the CNDD-FDD, on the occasion of the 4th edition of Umukenyererarugamba Day, a day dedicated to the party’s committed women activists. CNDD-FDD Secretary General Révérien Ndikuriyo delivered a fiery speech to a captivated crowd. “The country is not given up, it is grabbed”, he declared.

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Thousands of party members, including the Bagumyabanga (the name given to members of the former Hutu rebellion), the Imbonerakure (members of the CNDD-FDD youth league), and the Bakenyererarugamba, traveled to celebrate this important event, marked by forceful speeches with patriotic and ideological overtones.

“The country is not given up, it is grabbed”

CNDD-FDD Secretary General Révérien Ndikuriyo delivered a fiery speech to a captivated crowd. “The country is not given up, it is grabbed,” he declared, before calling for vigilance in the face of enemies he said were still active. “They chose the path of war, but they failed : in the north, the south, the east, and the west,” he insisted, referring to the regime’s opponents and the events of 2015, which caused a crisis following another controversial term of the late President Pierre Nkurunziza that year.

The Secretary-General also affirmed that “all borders are well guarded” and that “any attempt at foreign invasion would be crushed by defense and security forces.” He reaffirmed that the CNDD-FDD would win every election by a landslide, adding that “opponents will be forced to join the party.”

CNDD-FDD women activists march at the Ingoma Stadium in the political capital, Gitega, on the sidelines of the fourth edition of the day dedicated to them, on April 5, 2025

A moment of silence was observed in tribute to the women activists of the former Hutu rebellion who fell on the battlefield. “Every family should send at least one child to the army or the police,” urged Mr. Ndikuriyo, reaffirming the party’s commitment to defending the country at the cost of blood.

A call to women : education, development, leadership

For her part, Marie Goreth Yamuremye, chairperson of the CNDD-FDD Women’s League, called on the Bakenyererarugamba to become more involved in community development. She encouraged them to create cooperatives, ensure their children’s education, and also get involved in politics.

“Women must elect and be elected,” she insisted, before highlighting the need for training in project development.

Ms. Yamuremye also invited activists to use the Women’s Development Investment Bank (BIDF) to finance their economic initiatives.

A show of strength in the run-up to the elections

This day comes in a pre-election context marked by rhetoric of mobilization and loyalty to the ruling party. Through calls for patriotism, vigilance, and mass support, the CNDD-FDD intends to consolidate its ground and ensure total control in the upcoming elections.

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Révérien Ndikuriyo, Secretary General of the CNDD-FDD, participates in the fourth edition of the day dedicated to CNDD-FDD women activists at the Ingoma Stadium in the political capital, on April 5, 2025