Neva promises millions, but Burundi sinks into poverty

SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, May 18, 2025 – A little over two weeks before the legislative and dstrict elections, Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye unveiled an ambitious new promise : to guarantee each citizen one million Burundi francs within two years. Dubbed Operation “One Million,” this initiative was launched last Thursday at the Ingoma Stadium in Gitega, the political capital, in the presence of thousands of supporters flown in from surrounding provinces.

According to the head of state, this measure aims to “empower citizens” and anchor Burundi in an “inclusive economic transformation.” He reiterated his famous slogan : “Every mouth must have food, every pocket money,” while denouncing those he calls “saboteurs” accused of blocking community projects.

But these presidential statements are struggling to convince in a small east African nation gripped by multiple crises. For nearly 52 months, the country has faced persistent fuel shortages and recurring water and electricity outages, even in strategic cities like Bujumbura, the commercial capital where UN agencies and central institutions are concentrated. Basic goods are in short supply, inflation is soaring, and poverty is worsening.

In Bujumbura, Clémentine, a fruit vendor at the Kinindo market, is skeptical :
“We’ve been promised the earth for years. I’m still waiting for electricity at home. So, a million in my account? These are campaign words, nothing more.”

An economist based in Ngozi, contacted anonymously, shares this reservation :
“The president talks about giving a million to every Burundian, but he doesn’t explain with what budget. The country has a low fiscal capacity, limited foreign aid, and a dominant informal economy. It’s unrealistic; it’s populism.”

Since his early accession to power in June 2020, following the sudden death of his predecessor Pierre Nkurunziza, Évariste Ndayishimiye has made a string of bombastic announcements : fighting corruption, modernizing agriculture, digitalizing the administration, and creating thousands of jobs. But results have been slow, many observers lament.

On the ground, the population continues to suffer : high unemployment, food insecurity, precarious health services, and a lack of infrastructure. Burundi remains ranked as the poorest country in the world, according to recent international indicators.

In this context, Operation One Million, launched in the midst of a campaign where the CNDD-FDD faces no real opposition, is perceived by many as yet another electoral maneuver. Figures like Agathon Rwasa, the former Hutu rebel leader, have been sidelined from the political scene, contributing to a climate of democratic deadlock.

In Gitega, a teacher present at the stadium summed up his impression as follows :
“What we want is not a million on paper. It’s a decent salary, accessible healthcare, and quality education. Speeches don’t fill plates.”

More recently, President Ndayishimiye sparked controversy by declaring that “Burundi has never been so happy,” a statement deemed humiliating, disappointing, and inappropriate by several political analysts. “His words are filled with selfishness, as if he were trying to dissociate himself from the state of the country while ruling alone for nearly five years,” one of them denounced.

In the streets, Burundians oscillate between weariness, resignation, and irony in the face of a governance marked by endless speeches but few concrete changes.
For many, the “One Million” operation already seems like just another empty promise.

——-

President Évariste Ndayishimiye, surrounded by several members of the CNDD-FDD Council of Elders, including its Secretary General Révérien Ndikuriyo, arrives at Ingoma Stadium to launch the “One Million” campaign, May 15, 2025. Photo credit : CNDD-FDD