Burundi : a lifeless body of a young Congolese refugee found near the Musenyi site

SOS Médias Burundi

Rutana, May 5, 2025 – A tragedy rocked the refugee community at the Musenyi site, in Rutana province (southeastern Burundi), on Sunday, May 4. A lifeless body of a young Congolese boy, named Fidèle, was found floating in a river near the site, after four days of disappearance.

Young Fidèle, whose age has not been specified, disappeared last Tuesday without a trace. His family, alarmed by his absence, immediately alerted the community. A search was initiated by relatives and local residents, in informal collaboration with teams of volunteers.

It was finally on Sunday morning when the young boy’s body was discovered, stuck in the bushes along the river. “We found his body floating, clinging to the vegetation. “It was an extremely painful moment,” said a member of the search team.

Héraclite, a Congolese refugee living at the Musenyi site, was present at the time of the discovery. “We still hoped to find him alive. Seeing him like this, lifeless, in the river he frequented, shocked everyone. This boy was familiar to many here. His death reminds us how fragile life is in this camp, especially for the children,” he confided, visibly moved.

According to witnesses, the children at the site routinely went to the river to bathe, often without supervision. The discovery of Fidèle’s body highlights the dangers surrounding young children in an environment marked by a lack of secure infrastructure.

An investigation has been launched by local authorities to determine the exact cause of death. While the drowning hypothesis is currently being favored, other possibilities have not been ruled out, including a possible accident, criminal activity, or psychological distress.

The Musenyi site is home to more than 18,000 refugees, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo. This latest tragedy once again highlights the vulnerability of children in the camps and the need to strengthen security measures around high-risk areas, such as rivers and water points.

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A young man stands in front of the administrative building at the Musenyi site in southeastern Burundi (SOS Médias Burundi)