Burunga : journalists excluded and suspicions of orchestrated restrictions at a ruling party meeting

SOS Médias Burundi

Burunga, May 12, 2026—Tensions persist regarding journalists’ access to public and political activities in Burunga province. Several reporters are denouncing repeated exclusions and restrictions on media coverage at certain official events.

Several journalists are denouncing what they consider unjustified restrictions on their work after being excluded from a public meeting held on Friday, May 8, 2026, in the district of Makamba, Burunga province, southern Burundi.

According to consistent accounts gathered from reporters present at the meeting, it was presented as a community development meeting open to the public, held by the Secretary General of the CNDD-FDD, Révérien Ndikuriyo.

However, several journalists claim they were asked to leave the room even though they were there to cover the event as part of their work.

The journalists involved say they were surprised to see a colleague, rather than an official from the organization, ask them to leave. According to several witnesses, they were told that this decision came from the communications team of the ruling party.

“We were told that only journalists who came with them could stay,” said a reporter who was present that day.

Only a few reporters from three media outlets affiliated with or controlled by the ruling party were allowed to cover the event.

This situation has sparked outrage among several media professionals, who question the legality of such a measure in an event presented as public and related to community development. Some regret that no official explanation has been given by the local administrative authorities or the event organizers.

The local administration, for its part, claims it was not informed of this exclusion.

Journalists in the province believe this incident illustrates a gradual deterioration of working conditions for the media in Burunga. They cite increasingly frequent pressure and restrictions during official or political events.

The same sources indicate that, on the same Friday, journalists were also expelled from the room while waiting for Révérien Ndikuriyo. According to these accounts, police officers were allegedly called in by the director of Aigle Sport FM radio, owned by Révérien Ndikuriyo, to remove some of the reporters present.

Furthermore, the following day, other journalists claim they were excluded from a ceremony held at the stadium for the signing of a partnership agreement between the Pax Burundi Foundation, headed by the Secretary General of the CNDD-FDD, and a Vietnamese-owned telecommunications company.

The incident also reignites the debate surrounding the strained relations between some journalists and the security forces in the province. Several reporters have cited the case of journalist Audrique Niyuhire, a contributor to Aigle Sport FM and Isoko FM radio stations, who was beaten by police officers at the end of 2025 during an altercation between police and motorcyclists.

According to witnesses, this assault took place in the presence of administrative officials and the local police command. Despite promises of an investigation and sanctions made at the time by the authorities, the case was ultimately dismissed, fueling a sense of impunity that has been denounced by several media professionals.

Recently, Révérien Ndikuriyo toured several provinces and districts across the country, meeting with representatives of the CNDD-FDD as well as administrative and security officials. According to several accounts, apart from the official team accompanying him, no journalists, including those from state media, had access to his various meetings.

Burundi ranks 119th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index published on April 30 by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The country thus gained six places compared to 2025, when it ranked 125th globally.

Despite this slight improvement, Burundi continues to face several challenges related to media independence and the safety of journalists. RSF specifically mentions political pressure, legal proceedings against some media professionals, and restrictions observed during sensitive periods.

For many observers, the increasing number of these incidents reflects a gradual shrinking of media space in Burundi, where numerous journalists report working in a climate of growing pressure, intimidation, and restrictions, particularly when covering political or security-related activities.