Nduta (Tanzania) : the drinking water crisis threatens Burundian refugees

SOS Médias Burundi

Nduta, December 20, 2025 — The Nduta refugee camp, home to more than 58,000 Burundians, has been facing a critical drinking water shortage for over two weeks. Several taps and a groundwater well supplying the northern part of the camp are broken. A few days after, the southern part was also affected by a damaged borehole.

The refugees contacted the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), an NGO responsible for sanitation and hygiene, which responded that it no longer has the budget or spare parts to repair the facilities. The NGO is in the process of closing down, with no replacement planned.

“The proposed solution is for you to register for voluntary return, and you will find everything you need back home,” said the camp president, reminding everyone that the official closing date is set for March 31, 2026.

Deprived of drinking water, the refugees are now drawing water from the Ndurubu and Nyangwa rivers, located at the eastern and western edges of the camp. This water, contaminated by livestock and laundry, exposes the population to waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery. The MSF (Doctors Without Borders) hospital has already recorded about ten cases and is currently the only source of drinking water.

“Families are going down from Zone 18 to Zone 5 with jerrycans and returning with less than five liters for a family of six!” laments a local leader, denouncing coercive measures aimed at “forced repatriation.”

Refugees are issuing an urgent appeal for help, accusing the UNHCR of remaining powerless in the face of the Tanzanian government’s decisions.

This crisis is jeopardizing the health and survival of thousands of Burundians in Nduta, as the camp’s closure approaches in less than four months.