Crisis in Ntahangwa : the district administrator suspended following the council revolt

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, July 23, 2026 – In Ntahangwa, a district in the north of the commercial capital Bujumbura, district administrator Alexis Havyarimana has been suspended from his duties by an order from the Minister of the Interior, Léonidas Ndaruzaniye. The decision comes after a revolt by the district council, which accuses him of alleged mismanagement, violations of administrative procedures, and a lack of cooperation with the deliberative body.

Signed on July 20, 2026, the ministerial order suspends Alexis Havyarimana based on several grievances related to his management of the Ntahangwa district. The accusations include alleged mismanagement of public funds, presumed irregularities in the awarding of public contracts, and tax collection carried out without the authorization of the district council.

The decision refers to Article 45, paragraph 6, of the organic law on the reorganization of district administration. This provision stipulates that a district administrator may be sanctioned, or even dismissed, in cases of corruption, incompetence, embezzlement, or scandalous behavior.

The suspension follows a letter sent on July 6 by the Ntahangwa district council to the governor of Bujumbura province. In this letter, the councilors denounced the difficult working relationship they had had with Alexis Havyarimana since the beginning of their term. They argued that their decisions and recommendations were not being respected by the district administrator.

Chaired by Annonciate Harerimana, the district council expressed concerns about the administrator’s and the district secretary’s ability to defend the district’s interests. The councilors also denounced alleged irregularities in the awarding of public contracts and a lack of transparency in financial management.

Among the grievances raised were the collection of certain revenues without the council’s approval and the use of receipts that were reportedly distributed without proper registration, which complicated the tracking of district revenues.

This suspension comes at a time when Burundian authorities are emphasizing the strengthening of good governance at the local level. It now places the district of Ntahangwa at the center of debates on the management of local authorities and the accountability of administrative officials.

An administrative inquiry or other measures could determine the next steps in this matter.