Bujumbura : opposition leader Anicet Niyonkuru arrested for fraud

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, August 21, 2025 – The president of the opposition party Council of Patriots (CDP), Anicet Niyonkuru, was arrested on Wednesday in Bujumbura, the commercial capital of Burundi, and taken to the municipal police station, known as the Special Research Bureau (BSR). According to police sources, the opposition leader was arrested by the Burundi National Police (PNB).

Authorities accuse him of fraud. A source close to the case indicates that he allegedly received “several million Burundi francs from families by promising them a transfer to Europe for work.”

However, the arrest is already drawing criticism in some political circles. “In addition to his position as president of the CDP, Anicet Niyonkuru is also a member of the National Unity Council, an appointment acquired by presidential decree. He should not have been arrested in this manner; there was a procedural flaw,” said a political figure who requested anonymity.

During the legislative elections last June, the CDP denounced several electoral irregularities and fraud in certain regions, and several of its representatives were prevented from holding rallies.

This case is expected to attract widespread attention in a context marked by persistent mistrust between the opposition and national institutions.