Mwaro: forced contributions for the presidential crusade

Residents of the commune of Mwaro province (central Burundi) are complaining as the communal administration is forcing them to pay for the presidential family’s crusade organisation scheduled in the province this week. Also they have to pay for the loincloths that participants must wear.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

As witnesses say, the administration is forcing residents to pay fees to welcome President Évariste Ndayishimiye and first lady Angeline Ndayishimiye. The presidential family will travel to Nyabihanga (same province) for a prayer meeting marking the four years in power of President Neva whose services have already drawn up a largely positive assessment citing the sections of the United Nations and the African Union that Burundi has had the chance to lead for the last four years in particular.

All civil servants are forced to pay money. Teachers in fundemental cycles contribute between 2000 and 5000 Burundian francs, department heads in turn pay between 10 and 200 thousand Burundian francs.

Traders and natives of the province are also mobilized for that activity. The amounts vary according to social class.

To stand out, everyone must order a loincloth at a cost of 12 thousand francs per piece. These are loincloths made for the ceremony bearing the effigy of the head of state.

A prayer in an unbearable life

“Life has become very expensive. But we are forced to pay for the presidential family who misses nothing, it is making fun of people and absurd,” regret teachers who spoke to SOS Médias Burundi.

“The cost of travel is currently too high due to the persistent shortage of fuel. But we are forced to travel to Nyabihanga in addition to the forced contributions,” deplore traders.

According to a source close to the administration, “part of these costs is reserved for welcoming the presidential family. Another will be used to purchase gifts to give to the presidential couple.”

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President Ndayishimiye arrives at the Gitega airfield stadium to participate in a CNDD-FDD crusade, January 20, 2022