Burundi: the dry season threatens the country, the government to implores God

Since September 2022, almost all of Burundi’s national territory has never seen rain. The dry season is getting longer, creating a distress in the population while the government is asking believers to implore God for rain. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

In the provinces of Cibitoke and Bubanza (North-West), residents are in despair following a sun-heat.

“No single drop of rain has fallen since September. Fields are dry. Famine, already at the door for months will reach us soon”, warn residents of Gihanga and Rugombo respectively in the provinces of Bubanza and Cibitoke. The two communes are among the most productive in Burundi.

To the north in Kirundo province, administrative officials say the province is experiencing a very worrying drought. Several households say they fear the worst in this once breadbasket region of Burundi but hit by drought in recent years.

The province of Muramvya (Center) bordering the Kibira nature reserve is also experiencing the same situation unlike other periods.

In the south-east of the country, the drought is seriously hitting this part of the border with Tanzania and residents are crying that they are suffering an unspeakable heat at night. The provinces of Bururi and Rumonge (South-West) are not spared either. They have never had rain since September.

Faced with this generalized situation in the country, the Burundian authorities call on the leaders of religious denominations and all believers to implore God to give rain.

“[…] I ask you to give instructions to the communal administrators to get in touch with the representatives of the churches/religious denominations/parishes/branches/mosques …… so that since tomorrow morning in general and Sunday in particular, they make a union of prayer to beg the Good Lord so that Burundi has rain. At the same time, you are asked to sensitize the population to watering and/or irrigation wherever possible”, can we read in a message sent to the provincial governors and to the mayor of the commercial city Bujumbura, this Friday.

Sources within the Burundian government regret that President Ndayishimiye’s policy of revitalizing agriculture may not materialize.

“The government’s policy of putting agriculture first is called into question. President Neva’s vision that ‘every mouth should have food and every pocket of money’ is no longer possible”, they lament.

The Burundian population generally lives from agriculture and animal husbandry. The drought that is hitting the country is a blow for the small East African nation.

Normally the rainy season which extends over nine months of the year begins with the month of September and ends with that of May, the month of June knowing very rare rains. This year, no drop of rain has fallen since last September.

In several provinces, governors and Catholic bishops have issued statements calling on believers to pray a special prayer this weekend for the rain to return.