Cichemere : thousands of thirsty asylum seekers wait up to 10 hours for a jerrycan of water

SOS Médias Burundi

Cibitoke, September 1, 2026—At the Cichemere transit center in the district of Cibitoke, Bujumbura province, in the northwestern border region of Burundi, access to drinking water has become a daily ordeal for thousands of Congolese asylum seekers. Due to insufficient supplies, some now have to wait up to ten hours to fill a single jerrycan.

A grossly inadequate supply

For several weeks, the site’s distribution points have been unable to meet the needs of the occupants. Water arrives in small quantities while the demand continues to rise.

“Today, to find a jerrycan of drinking water, you sometimes have to wait nearly ten hours. The water arrives in small quantities, even though there are so many of us,” testifies an asylum seeker who requested anonymity.

With no other option, many residents left the center to fetch water from the taps of Burundian residents living nearby. But in recent days, the host community has reportedly stopped allowing this.

“Before, they helped us, but now they say their water isn’t even enough for them,” explains the same asylum seeker.

Fear of a health crisis

The shortage doesn’t just affect water for drinking and cooking. Hygiene conditions are also deteriorating : washing hands, clothes, or cleaning latrines is becoming difficult, if not impossible.

In a site hosting thousands of people in overcrowded conditions, asylum seekers fear the spread of diseases linked to the lack of water, including diarrhea, cholera, and skin infections.

“We already have children who are getting sick. If there’s no water, how can we prevent epidemics?” worries an asylum seeker working in the health sector.

A plea for help

Faced with this situation, the occupants of the Cichemere transit center are appealing to the National Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (ONPRA), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and other humanitarian partners.

They are requesting, in particular, an immediate increase in the supply of drinking water, the installation of new distribution points, and mediation with the host community to prevent an escalation of tensions.

Meanwhile, the lines continue to grow longer every morning in Cishemere. And with them grows the fear that the water shortage could turn into a full-blown health crisis.