Burunga : violence, arrests, and demands for money—motorcycle taxi riders speak out

SOS Médias Burundi

Burunga, September 22, 2026—An incident on Monday, September 21, at the Makamba motorcycle stand has reignited questions regarding the relationship between police officers and motorcycle taxi riders in Burunga province, southern Burundi. Furthermore, several drivers claim they are forced to pay between 20,000 and 100,000 Burundian francs to avoid having their motorcycles impounded.

Tensions flared again on Monday evening at the motorcycle stand in Makamba, the town of Burunga province in southern Burundi.

According to eyewitness accounts, a plainclothes police officer attempted to detain a motorcycle taxi driver. An altercation subsequently broke out between the two men.

At the same moment, another driver arriving from the roundabout fell to the ground and sustained facial injuries.

Witnesses state that the plainclothes officer then tried to leave the scene. Bystanders urged him to stay so that the injured man could receive medical attention.

The official in charge of the Makamba zone and other security personnel eventually arrived at the scene. Two motorcycles were taken to the local police station, while the injured driver was transported to the hospital.

The identity of the plainclothes officer also raised questions; witnesses noted that he was not wearing anything that would immediately identify him as a police officer.

Drivers claim they pay to avoid having their motorcycles impounded

This incident occurs as motorcycle taxi drivers in various parts of Burunga are denouncing practices during police checks that they liken to extortion.

According to their accounts, some police officers stop drivers, impound their motorcycles, and demand money before allowing them to leave. The sums mentioned range from 20,000 to 100,000 Burundian francs.

Some drivers say they agree to pay for fear of having their motorcycles impounded. They also state that these demands for money are not always accompanied by a clear explanation of the alleged offense.

These motorcyclists believe that when an offense is detected, it should be penalized through an official procedure rather than resulting in an on-the-spot payment.

They also call for plainclothes police officers to be clearly identifiable during enforcement operations.

Tensions previously reported in July

These allegations come several weeks after tensions were reported between police officers and motorcycle taxi drivers.

During a security meeting held on July 13 by the governor of Burunga province, Parfait Mboninyibuka, the administrator of Matana district, Gloriose Niyubahwe, had already raised the issue of checks and penalties imposed on motorcycle taxis.

She notably criticized the fact that the police, in her view, limited themselves to issuing fines without sufficiently considering the consequences for passengers of accidents caused by vehicles operating without proper documentation.

The administrator also claimed that certain motorcycles belonging to officials could be released following intervention with police authorities.

According to her, motorcycles seized for lacking license plates or documents could be put back on the road without the paperwork being regularized.

She had called for the same rules to be applied to everyone.

“If a motorcycle without a license plate or documents is banned from the road, that measure should apply across the entire province,” she stated.

She argued that a motorcycle released without documents could simply be seized again the next day—a situation she believed risked fueling protests and unrest among the motorcyclists. Several injured in altercations

During the month of July, several altercations between police officers and motorcyclists were also reported in the province.

According to reports, police officers and motorcyclists were injured in some of the clashes. Motorcyclists also sustained gunshot wounds, according to the same reports.

These incidents demonstrate how quickly traffic enforcement operations can escalate when drivers challenge officers’ decisions or when procedures are perceived as unfair.

A demand for clarity and uniform application of the law

Today, motorcycle taxi drivers are demanding greater transparency in traffic enforcement.

They want police officers, including those operating in plainclothes, to be clearly identified, for violations to be officially recorded, and for penalties to be applied according to established procedures.

They also demand that regulations be applied uniformly, regardless of the motorcycle owner’s identity.

However, the extortion allegations reported by the motorcyclists require verification and clarification from the police authorities. At this stage, they do not establish the individual responsibility of the officers involved.

But between the Makamba incident of September 21, the sums of money mentioned by several drivers, and the warnings already issued in July, the issue of regulating motorcycle taxi checks remains a major concern in Burunga province, southern Burundi.