Burunga : the proliferation of police roadblocks paralyzes transportation, drives up fares, and revives suspicions of corruption

SOS Médias Burundi

Burunga, July 6, 2026 — With new police officials recently taking office in several districts of Burunga province in southern Burundi, road checkpoints have significantly intensified. In Rumonge, Makamba, and Rutana, the proliferation of police roadblocks is disrupting the transport of people and goods. Users are denouncing harassment, soaring transportation fares, and alleged corruption, despite repeated calls from the provincial governor to remove non-essential roadblocks.

For nearly two weeks, police roadblocks have proliferated, particularly on the National Road number 3 in Rumonge, where several checkpoints are located very close together. This situation has surprised many residents, especially since the town is not experiencing any particular deterioration in security.

When confronted by motorcyclists, the police justified the increased checks by explaining that they aim to remove motorcycles from circulation that do not meet legal requirements or are carrying more than one passenger. Officials even warned that additional checkpoints could be set up if the violations persist.

But on the ground, the consequences are immediate. Fearing the impoundment of their motorcycles or vehicles, many transport operators are choosing to suspend their services. As a result, travelers are struggling to find transportation, and fares have skyrocketed.

On the Makamba–Nyanza-Lake route, passengers report paying up to 25,000 Burundian francs for a bus ride, compared to around 10,000 francs previously, while the regulated fare set by the State is 5,100 francs.

In Rutana, this pressure led to a telling incident. Two security officers, who intervened in plain clothes to seize a motorcycle, were attacked by residents who mistook them for thieves. Administrative authorities eventually acknowledged that the officers should have been in uniform, which led to the release of those arrested.

Beyond the checkpoints, several drivers and passengers are denouncing alleged corruption on certain roads. According to their testimonies, some overloaded vehicles pass checkpoints only after bribes have been paid. These accusations fuel a deep sense of injustice among transport operators, who claim they are forced either to strictly adhere to the rules at the risk of losing their customers or to temporarily cease operations.

These alleged practices are reminiscent of a tragedy that occurred in early 2026. A taxi carrying sixteen passengers was involved in a fatal accident in Nyabigina village, in the main town of Makamba district, resulting in more than ten deaths.

However, according to Burundian regulations, this type of taxi is only authorized to carry three to five passengers. According to several testimonies gathered at the time by SOS Médias Burundi, the vehicle had passed through several checkpoints without being stopped before the accident. This incident reignited the debate on the effectiveness of traffic controls, compliance with regulations, and suspicions of corruption on certain roads in the province.

This situation arises as new police officials have just been appointed in several districts of Burunga. For many observers and stakeholders in the transport sector, the timing of these appointments and the tightening of controls raises questions. Some see it as a desire by the new officials to quickly assert their authority, while others fear a resurgence of harassment on the roads. At this stage, however, there is no evidence to establish a causal link between these appointments and the practices being denounced.

The contrast is all the more striking given that, during several security meetings, the governor of Burunga province, Parfait Mboninyibuka, called on security services to streamline roadside checks, remove unnecessary roadblocks, and enforce the law without unnecessarily penalizing citizens.

Today, transporters, motorcyclists, and passengers are demanding that the fight against traffic violations be conducted with professionalism, transparency, and fairness. They believe that road safety cannot be guaranteed by increasing the number of roadblocks or by corrupt practices, but rather by the impartial application of the law and rigorous investigation into the true causes of accidents.

More broadly, many stakeholders in the sector believe that an effective road safety policy should not be measured by the number of roadblocks erected, but by the authorities’ ability to enforce the law fairly, prevent accidents, and restore trust between law enforcement and road users.