Buhumuza : wave of insecurity and unsolved murders, the population between fear and anger

SOS Médias Burundi

Buhumuza, July 22, 2025 — A series of violent and unexplained events is rekindling fear among the residents of Buhumuza province, in eastern Burundi. Between the mysterious double murder in Ruyigi and the upsurge in cross-border crimes in Gisagara, local populations are protesting against the persistent impunity and denouncing the authorities’ inaction.

On Saturday, July 12, two lifeless bodies were discovered in Bunogera village, in the Rusengo zone, Ruyigi district. The victims, men aged approximately 30 to 35, showed obvious signs of torture : their arms and legs were bound, deep chest wounds, and no shoes. Witnesses claim that the bodies were dumped on either side of the road between Rusengo and Gisuru, in a place called “Bunyuro.”

The village chief, Éric Ntancuti, suggests that the two men were killed elsewhere before being abandoned at the site. Their identities unknown, they were hastily buried, without coffins or formal procedures – a scene described as inhumane by several witnesses.

The zone chief, Patrice Irakoze, puts forward another theory : the victims were attacked by bandits from Tanzania. But this official version is rejected by many residents, who describe it as a planned crime, perpetrated in the shadows, with no judicial involvement. “We live in constant fear. We kill, we bury, and we forget,” confides one resident on condition of anonymity.

In Gisagara, crime reaches a new level

A few days later, in the neighboring district of Gisagara, Governor Denise Ndaruhekere called an urgent meeting at the Camazi town center on July 17. She denounced an “alarming rise” in crime : fraud, theft, murder… everything was covered. She cited in particular the recent murder of a woman in her fifties in Nyabisindu, in the neighboring district of Cankuzo, as well as frequent cases of fraud at the Burundi-Tanzania border.

The governor promised “exemplary sanctions” against criminals, particularly some idle youths accused of nighttime thefts after spending the day at the ligalas (the local name for gatherings of idle or drug-addicted youths who hang out in the streets or at intersections).

But the population of Camazi did not mince its words. Several speakers accused certain local officials of complicity with criminal networks. “We are afraid to speak out. Those who should protect us are sometimes the ones who betray us,” exclaimed one participant, to cheers.

The young people, for their part, pointed the finger at members of the joint security committees, often from the ruling party’s leagues. According to them, some take advantage of their status to extort passersby, particularly those from outside the region.

An urgent call for justice and exemplary behavior

Faced with these accusations, the population is urging the authorities to lead by example. “It is time for administration authorities to set an example and truly protect the population,” demanded one resident. The call for concrete action, beyond rhetoric, resonates throughout the district.

In a province where murders are becoming commonplace and trust between citizens and authorities is crumbling, the residents of Buhumuza are demanding serious investigations, an end to impunity, and responses commensurate with the threats they face daily.