Butanyerera : a swine erysipelas epidemic paralyzes the pig farming sector in the district of Kiremba

SOS Médias Burundi

Ngozi, February 11, 2026 – A swine erysipelas epidemic has been affecting several areas of the district of Kiremba, in Butanyerera province, in the north of the small east African nation, since January. This highly contagious animal disease has already caused the death of numerous pigs and resulted in heavy economic losses for local farmers. Faced with the rapid spread, administrative authorities, in collaboration with veterinary services, have taken strict measures to try to contain the situation.

Among these measures is a formal ban on the sale and slaughter of pigs throughout the entire district, until further notice. Only a few exceptional cases may be authorized after a rigorous inspection by the veterinary services. This decision, while necessary from a public health standpoint, has had an immediate impact on the availability of pork.

Pork has become scarce, or even completely unavailable, in several small towns in Kiremba. Bars, restaurants, and meeting places that relied heavily on this inexpensive meat are now forced to do without it, much to the dismay of consumers.

Pig farmers in Kiremba are among those most affected by this crisis. Manirakiza, one of them, testifies to the damage caused by the disease in his pigsty :

“Swine erysipelas appeared suddenly in my pigsty. I lost two pigs and ten piglets, which I valued at 1,200,000 Burundi francs.” “These pigs also provided me with manure for my fields; today, it’s a total loss, both financially and agriculturally,” he explains.

The lack of pork is also disrupting consumer habits, particularly in bars and small gathering places.

“I used to love pork because a kebab only cost 2,000 Burundi francs. Every evening, at the bars in Gakeri village, I would have a kebab with urwarwa (local banana beer). Now, we just drink urwarwa without a kebab. Goat is too expensive; I preferred pork,” says Sindinkabo, a resident of Kiremba.

A veterinarian working in one of the areas of the Kiremba district, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that swine erysipelas is a bacterial disease exacerbated by poor hygiene, uncontrolled animal movement, and contact between sick and healthy pigs.

“The most frequent symptoms are high fever, loss of appetite, skin redness, difficulty moving due to joint pain, and sometimes sudden death. We recommend that the public avoid all clandestine sales, isolate sick pigs, regularly disinfect pigsties, and promptly report any suspected cases to veterinary services,” he stated.

While awaiting full control of the health situation, local authorities are urging farmers and traders to strictly adhere to the measures put in place to limit the spread of the disease and ensure the long-term protection of the pig farming sector in the Kiremba district.