Gitega : more than 1,400 inmates starving in an overcrowded prison, alarm raised

SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, March 27, 2026 — In Gitega, the political capital of the small east African nation, the humanitarian situation at the central prison is causing grave concern. According to consistent reports, 1,416 prisoners have been facing severe food shortages since March 16, 2026, exacerbating already extremely precarious detention conditions.

According to an internal source, the prisoners have not received cassava flour or corn since that date. Their daily ration is currently limited to approximately 350 grams of beans per person, an amount considered woefully inadequate to meet basic nutritional needs, especially in a prison environment that demands a minimum energy intake to maintain health.

This food shortage disproportionately affects some inmates from remote provinces such as Karusi, Ruyigi, and Cankuzo. Due to their geographical isolation, these inmates receive fewer family visits and therefore less supplemental food, unlike other prisoners who benefit from outside support. This inequality exacerbates their vulnerability to hunger.

The situation is not new. A bean shortage was already reported at this prison in February 2026. Today, the inmates fear a rapid deterioration of their health, citing a high risk of illnesses related to severe malnutrition.

Built in 1926 to host approximately 400 people, the Gitega prison currently holds more than three times its original capacity. This overcrowding, estimated at over 300%, creates particularly difficult living conditions. Hygiene and sanitation problems are recurring, and some inmates are reportedly forced to sleep in conditions deemed inhumane.

Faced with this crisis, the prisoners are making an urgent appeal to the relevant authorities for immediate action. They are demanding, in particular, improved food rations, as well as concrete measures to alleviate overcrowding and guarantee detention conditions that meet humanitarian standards.

The situation in Gitega highlights the structural challenges of the Burundian prison system, where overcrowding and insufficient resources continue to severely infringe upon the fundamental rights of prisoners.

Prisons in Burundi : a system under chronic pressure

Beyond the case of Gitega, this crisis reflects a broader reality affecting the entire Burundian prison system. Overcrowding remains a constant in several facilities across the country, with occupancy rates often exceeding 200%, and even 300%.

Prisons such as those in Ngozi (north), Mpimba in the commercial capital Bujumbura, and Muramvya (central Burundi) are regularly denounced for their alarming conditions of detention. Lack of food, inadequate medical care, extreme overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions are frequently reported by human rights organizations.

According to several independent reports, these difficulties are further exacerbated by the slowness of judicial procedures. A large number of detainees remain in pretrial detention for extended periods, thus contributing to prison overcrowding.

Furthermore, the resources allocated to the prison administration remain woefully inadequate in the face of the constantly increasing number of detainees. This situation limits the authorities’ ability to guarantee dignified living conditions that meet international standards, particularly those defined by the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.

Faced with this reality, calls are growing for profound structural reforms. Among the proposed solutions are accelerating judicial procedures, increasing the use of alternatives to imprisonment, and strengthening the budget allocated to the prison sector.

Meanwhile, the situation in Gitega serves as yet another stark warning, illustrating the urgent need for an immediate humanitarian response and a thorough reform of Burundi’s prison system.