Cibitoke: 20 fuel traffickers drowned in Rusizi in two months

At least five people died, drowned in the Rusizi River (separating Burundi and the DRC) and several quantities of gasoline leaked in one week, bringing to 20 the number of traffickers who died in such circumstances in two months. This concerns the province of Cibitoke in the north-western Burundi.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

With the continuing fuel shortage, fuel traffickers will obtain supplies from Congo at the risk of their lives. In a single week, five people were swept away by the waters of the Rusizi River and more than 2 thousand liters of gasoline leaked, according to witnesses. They are traffickers from Buganda commune.

“It’s very unfortunate and unfortunately very difficult to fight against it. It’s the result of the fuel shortage which has lasted too long,” said a security source.

For residents, these traffickers are like “saviors”.

“The engines must continue to run. Bus drivers and motorcycle taxi drivers in particular can’t operate without fuel. But as in Burundi there is none, we must find ways to obtain it” , say residents of Cibitoke adding “life must continue and we must support our families”.

They ask the government to do everything possible to “find a solution to the fuel crisis” especially by asking for help from donors.

The other border commune of the DRC affected by drownings linked to fuel trafficking is that of Rugombo.

Several families of motorcycle taxi drivers say they have been affected by the situation.

“Our machines are mostly parked at home due to lack of fuel,” motorcyclists complain.

A motorcycle taxi driver fills a tank at an illegal fuel market in Buganda, June 24, 2024

In this town, several gasoline traffickers in particular died, others were killed by bandits. Local sources claim that “20 people were swept away by the Rusizi in two months while they were bringing fuel from Congo” to transport them to Rugombo and Buganda. The same sources speak of more than 5 thousand liters of gasoline leaking.

The governor of Cibitoke, Carême Bizoza says he is aware of this situation. However, he does not want to say much about the fuel smuggling in his province.

For some time, Cibitoke has become a rampart for the inhabitants of the commercial city Bujumbura especially, in addition to the city of Uvira (Eastern Congo), who cannot find fuel. Even state vehicles will stock up there. Its proximity to the Congo and the control of the crossing of the Rusizi by local residents maintain this traffic with disastrous consequences

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An overview of the town of Kamanyola in the DRC, one of the supply points for Burundian fuel traffickers