Burundi : controversial arrest of Father Paul Butoyi, parish priest of Mutumba

SOS Médias Burundi

Rumonge, June 15, 2025 – The arrest of Father Paul Butoyi, parish priest of the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Mutumba (archdiocese of Bujumbura), has sparked strong reactions among the Burundian population. The priest was arrested on Sunday morning, June 15, by agents of the National Intelligence Service (SNR), while he was at the Gitaza branch in Muhuta district, Rumonge province (southwest of the country).

According to local sources, he is accused of having criticized the recent legislative and district elections of June 5, 2025, during his Sunday homily.

However, several voices are speaking out against the arrest, which they deem arbitrary. “In an audio recording widely shared in Burundian WhatsApp groups, Father Butoyi doesn’t talk about the elections. Instead, he castigates the ethnic divisions within the Burundian society, which he calls ‘shit,'” confided a member of his parish on condition of anonymity.

Known for his outspokenness and forthright stances, Father Butoyi is a clerical figure who leaves no one indifferent.

According to several concordant sources, the clergyman has been transferred to the SNR headquarters in Bujumbura, the country’s commercial capital. At this stage, neither the Burundian authorities nor the Catholic Church have officially responded to this arrest.