Gitega: Woman’s body found tied up in the Ruvyironza River in Giheta

SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, April 20, 2025 – The lifeless body of a young woman, identified as Nadine Bukuru, was discovered on Saturday, April 19, in the Ruvyironza River, on the banks of Bihororo foothill, Giheta commune, in the center of the country. Witnesses suggest the victim was tied up with signs of strangulation by a rope which could be seen around her throat.

The Bihororo Hill Chief, Pierre Nzisabira, confirmed the information. He stated that the young woman had been missing since April 17, after giving birth by cesarean section at the Gitega Regional Hospital. Her body was taken to the morgue of the same hospital for examination.

A province often marked by gruesome discoveries

The police have opened an investigation, but the exact circumstances of her death and the motives of the perpetrator(s) remain unknown at this stage.

This case revives painful memories of a series of unsolved murders and disappearances in Gitega province. SOS Médias Burundi has repeatedly reported similar cases: bodies found in rivers, fields, or along roadsides, often tied up, sometimes mutilated.

As early as 2024, some residents and observers were calling Gitega a “cemetery province” due to the growing number of bodies found without clear explanation. This loaded nickname reflects concern over persistent insecurity and the lack of concrete results in investigations.

Human rights organizations regularly call for more rigorous investigations and the fight against impunity. For many, each new unresolved case deepens the sense of abandonment among the local population.