Buhumuza : Cibari’s gold destroys land, fuels corruption, and flows to Tanzania

SOS Médias Burundi

Muyinga, October 30, 2025 – In Cibari, in the district and zone of Muyinga, Buhumuza province, residents are living a true nightmare. Their fields are devastated by illegal gold mining, their crops are wiped out, and their pleas for help are ignored. While the land crumbles, illegally mined gold is shipped to neighboring Tanzania, with local authorities accused of corruption turning a blind eye.

Crops ravaged for gold

Locals say their banana, cassava, avocado, and other food crops are being ruthlessly uprooted to make way for gaping holes dug by hand. These lands are their only source of income.

“It’s in these crop fields that we feed our families. Today, everything is destroyed,” laments a farmer from Cibari.

The gold miners, often from other areas, work without any safety measures or soil restoration. They offer no compensation to landowners, or sometimes a meager percentage deemed derisory.

Corruption and impunity highlighted

According to several testimonies gathered on site, local authorities are turning a blind eye to this illegal mining. Residents accuse certain administration authorities and members of the security forces of accepting bribes from gold miners and traders.

“The police supposedly come to arrest the miners, but in reality, they come to extort money. The gold bosses bribe them to let their teams continue,” denounces an exasperated landowner.

Local sources claim that even the district police commissioner and the head of intelligence are aware of—or even involved in—this system. According to testimonies, these officials receive weekly or bi-weekly payments from those who commission the mining.

Cross-border trafficking to Tanzania

The gold illegally extracted in Cibari is then smuggled into neighboring Tanzania, according to several sources close to the miners. Previously, the ore was destined for Rwanda, but the closure of land borders since January 2024 has reportedly altered the smuggling route.

Call for urgent government intervention

Faced with this alarming situation, the people of Cibari are calling for firm intervention from the Burundian government to put an end to these destructive practices. They are demanding the protection of their land, the strict enforcement of mining laws, and a determined fight against corruption within local institutions.

“We don’t want money, we just want to get our fields back and live with dignity from the fruits of our labor,” concludes a resident, his gaze fixed on his ravaged land.

In this region already marked by poverty, the gold of Cibari shines only for a few, while the majority see their land—and their future—sinking into the pits of illegal mining.