Kirundo : neighborhood chiefs at the heart of an alleged illegal network of identity cards and minerals

SOS Médias Burundi

Kirundo, March 25, 2026 — The urban district of Kirundo, in Butanyerera province in the north of the small east African nation, is reeling from the arrest of three people, including two neighborhood chiefs, on Thursday afternoon.

Those arrested include Elias Nkurunziza, chief of the Nyange Bushaza neighborhood, and Cyriaque Minani, chief of the Rupfunda neighborhood, as well as a trader involved in rare earth mining, identified as Nsengiyumva, from the border district of Busoni.

According to eyewitnesses, the suspects were apprehended by officers traveling in a pickup truck with tinted windows. “They were handcuffed and placed in the vehicle under heavy guard,” reports a resident who witnessed the scene.

Serious charges related to identity cards and minerals

According to police sources who requested anonymity, the three individuals are accused of fraudulently issuing national identity cards to Rwandan traders operating in the rare earth sector, in connection with cross-border activities involving Rwanda. These traders are allegedly collaborating with the arrested individual.

“This is a well-organized network involving local authorities and economic operators in illegal activities,” confides a security source. In addition to administrative fraud, the suspects are also allegedly involved in the diversion of minerals, a sensitive activity in this border region.

A controversial reputation

In the center of Kirundo, the two arrested neighborhood chiefs already had a controversial reputation among some residents. Some locals don’t hesitate to call one a “criminal” and the other a “hardened bandit.”

“This isn’t a surprise to us. Many people have been denouncing their actions for a long time,” says a local resident.

The two local officials are also known for their membership in the ruling party, the CNDD-FDD, a fact that further fuels the debate among the local public.

Detention in Bujumbura and calls for sanctions

Currently, the three arrested individuals are being held at the National Intelligence Service (SNR) headquarters in Bujumbura, the commercial capital, where the investigation is ongoing.

Faced with this situation, some residents of Kirundo are demanding firm measures against those involved. “We demand their immediate removal from their administrative positions. Those who betray the people do not deserve to lead them,” declared a citizen interviewed.

A case to watch

This case highlights persistent challenges in local governance, security, and natural resource management in northern Burundi, where fraud and clandestine cross-border trade in coffee and minerals are frequently reported, sometimes resulting in deaths. The results of the ongoing investigation will be crucial in establishing accountability and restoring public trust in local authorities.