Nyarugusu : Tanzania sacrifices Burundian refugees to hasten their return

SOS Médias Burundi

Nyarugusu, March 2, 2026 – On Monday morning, several hundred Burundian refugees arrived at the Nyarugusu camp in Tanzania to receive their monthly March assistance. However, more than 600 of them left empty-handed : their refugee cards had been canceled by the camp administration, depriving them of any right to aid.

Faced with this situation, agents from the NGO World Vision, responsible for distributing WFP (World Food Program) food aid, explained to the refugees :

“Your refugee cards have been removed from the system. You are no longer eligible for assistance until further notice!”

The NGO itself expressed surprise at this measure : “We don’t understand what happened.” “Each month, we work on a list updated by the UNHCR in collaboration with the camp administration,” they added, recommending that refugees contact the administration directly for explanations.

Several refugees then besieged the camp office for several hours before the police dispersed them. The camp president justified the decision :

“We consider you to have returned home! The list of those who must register was posted at the end of January, and you are on that list! Therefore, you are no longer eligible for any assistance. Go to the registration office immediately!”

He also added :

“Every week, we have to remove more than 600 people from the system. Don’t wait until the last minute : register now to return home where you will have everything you need!”

This measure is part of a policy of pressure aimed at accelerating the repatriation of Burundian refugees. The UNHCR, while willing to advocate for the victims, is encountering a lack of trust from the refugees.

A UNHCR staff member stated :

“We cannot accept that the rights of a vulnerable refugee, who has not yet returned, be trampled upon. You are entitled to assistance until the very last day of your return. We will begin consultations with the camp administration to find a solution.”

According to sources on the ground, nearly half of the refugees deprived of assistance finally went to the registration office at the end of the day, forced to register for an enforced return. Since the beginning of January, several homes have also been demolished to force refugees to leave the camp. Officially, the Nyarugusu camp is scheduled to close in June 2026, while the Nduta camp will close at the end of March. Tanzania still hosts more than 110,000 Burundian refugees.

The occupants of the two sites in the Kigoma region of northwestern Tanzania mostly fled the 2015 political crisis triggered by the controversial third term of the late President Pierre Nkurunziza.