Nyanza-Lac: the CNDD-FDD secretary general threatens to kill some activists
Last Friday, Révérien Ndikuriyo, secretary general of the CNDD-FDD visited the district of Nyanza-Lac in the province of Makamba (southern Burundi). He threatened to kill activists of his party who denounce irregularities in this district and those who plead for the dismissal of the district administrator. To illustrate their fate, he reportedly recalled the example of the case of a former soldier named Pascal Ninganza nicknamed Kaburimbo killed in the district of Matana (province of Bururi, south) in 2020. In September 2019, then president of the senate, Révérien Ndikuriyo had put a price on Kaburimbo’s head. In an audio recording, he admitted to have promised a reward of five million FBU (approximately $2,500). Security forces suspected this former soldier of hosting rebels and providing training to “insurgents” in the locality. Residents say they are outraged. INFO SOS Médias Burundi
The district of Nyanza-Lac has been undergoing a leadership crisis for months. Only, the words of the boss of the ruling party are offending, according to residents.
“Instead of being reconciling, he instead threatened to kill all CNDD-FDD activists who dare to denounce what is wrong in this district. He was expected to speak in the direction of finding a peaceful solution, but the opposite happened”, say witnesses.
To begin his speech, Mr. Ndikuriyo ordered all participants in the meeting to turn off their phones.
“Turn off your cell phones. No one is authorized to record what is said here. Anyone who tries to record something can even be killed. If we want, we can eliminate someone who misbehaves…it’s between us”, he threatened before boasting that it was he who had put a price on Kaburimbo’s head in 2019.
“[…], you have heard, I have always been accused of having killed Kaburimbo. Where is the harm in killing that one. Even Peter of the Bible was going to kill someone defending Jesus. And today, he is the pillar of the Catholic Church. So eliminating a criminal to protect the rest of the population is not a sin”, glorified the secretary general of the ruling party.
CNDD-FDD activists who were in the meeting say they are surprised by the fact that Révérien Ndikuriyo threatens those who are against the embezzlement of funds from the district.
“Without crossing the line, he showed himself to be a defender of Marie Goreth Irankunda, administrator of Nyanza-Lac and her office. He even admitted that those who want to dismiss Irankunda will never succeed”, regret participants in the meeting of last Friday.
To drive the point home, Mr. Ndikuriyo recalls that some party leaders in Nyanza-Lac district were expelled and that the administrator is appointed by presidential decree, hence she is untouchable.
Non-former rebel activists targeted
And he added, “There are those who want to take credit for what is being done here and there in the country whereas they do not know where we came from. We, real Bagumyabanga (name of CNDD-FDD members) are riddled with bullets all over our bodies, some in the stomach, others in the legs, but there are people who have never been to the front and who have never suffered the fallout of war – who want to behave as if they are the first beneficiaries. This can in no way be accepted”, got carried away the former rebel.
CNDD-FDD activists who want the district administrator and her bureau dismissed believe that Révérien Ndikuriyo wants to “intimidate us”.
At the beginning of December 2022, the district council of Nyanza-Lac dismissed the district administrator and her bureau. But they refused to comply. Members of the district council accuse them, among other things, of embezzlement of funds from the district and appropriation of lands belonging to the State.
Mr. Ndikuriyo plans to continue his visit in all zones of the country.
