Two bodies found in one week in Bugendana : growing concern in Gitega province

SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, August 11, 2025 – In the district of Bugendana, Gitega Province (central Burundi), the discovery of two lifeless bodies in less than a week has alarmed residents. These tragic events, which occurred in violent and unexplained circumstances, have rekindled fears of rising insecurity in a region already marked by similar incidents since late 2024.

On Sunday, August 10, 2025, the body of a man of approximately 45 years of age was discovered on the banks of the Mubarazi River, near Mwumba village. According to a witness, the victim was lying near the water, without any identification. Serges Habonimana, the village chief, confirmed the information, stating that the body had been transferred to the morgue at Mutaho Hospital (in the same region).

Residents suspect that the man was tied up and killed elsewhere before being dumped near the river for reasons that remain unknown. They are calling for a thorough investigation.

This discovery comes just six days after another tragedy : on August 4, Joseph Nizigiyimana, 43 years old, was found dead in a bush in Muririmbo village, also in Bugendana district. According to the village chief, Zabulon Ntakarutimana, the victim suffered serious injuries to the head and body, inflicted with clubs, before his body was abandoned there.

The motives and perpetrators of this crime remain unknown, but two suspects—Balthazar Gahungu and Nathanael Nduwimana—were arrested and detained in police cells in Mutaho for investigation.

Since November 2024, Gitega province, once less deadly, has been referred to as a “graveyard province” due to recurring gruesome discoveries.

These two incidents, which occurred just days apart and in the same district, have fueled fears among residents, who fear a rise in insecurity in the region.