Gitega: a second body recovered in less than a week from the Nyakijanda River

SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, February 21, 2026 – A new tragedy has shaken the heart of this small east African nation. The lifeless body of 25-year-old Jeanine Nkunzimana was discovered on Friday, February 20, 2026, in the Nyakijanda River, near Buhinda village, in the district and province of Gitega.

According to witnesses, the young woman had been missing since February 15, 2026. This information was confirmed by Gérard Minani, chief of Buhinda village. He stated that the body was in an advanced state of decomposition when it was found. After the investigation by the investigating Judicial Police Officer, the body was buried the same day near the Nyakijanda River.

The exact circumstances of the death remain unknown at this stage. The local chief, however, claims that the victim suffered from a condition related to cerebral malaria. This version is disputed by several residents of Buhinda, who reject this hypothesis and demand an independent investigation to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

This discovery comes less than a week after a similar case in the same river. On February 14, 2026, the body of 35-year-old Alice Ndimuruvugo was recovered from the Nyakijanda River, near Macu village, also in the district and province of Gitega. Two suspects, Séverin Nyawenda and Iréné Mbonwanayo, were arrested and detained in the cells of the provincial police station in Gitega.

The recurrence of these tragedies in such a short period is causing concern and raising questions among the local population, who are demanding a full investigation into these cases.

Last year, the Iteka League, a pioneering human rights organization in Burundi, forced to operate from exile following the 2015 crisis triggered by Pierre Nkurunziza’s controversial third term, had already ranked Gitega province among the areas most affected by deadly violence.

Since the beginning of the year, some fifteen bodies have been discovered in the province, according to a count by SOS Médias Burundi. Despite the repeated tragedies, few investigation results are made public, and the alleged perpetrators are rarely brought to justice, residents report.

For these residents, the lack of clear answers from the authorities fuels a feeling of abandonment and reinforces the perception of impunity as something almost routine.