Bubanza : increase in the prices of Brarudi products, the local administration taunts consumers

Prices of products of Brarudi (Burundi Brewery Company) continue to increase in the district and province of Bubanza (western Burundi). Consumers of these products are asking the district administration to get involved in regulating prices. But to everyone’s surprise, the district administration has instead started taunting consumers by asking them to refrain from consuming them.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Prices of certain products such as Amstel and Primus have doubled. They have even tripled in some places, according to consumers who continue to complain.

“A 65 cl Amstel that officially costs 3500 Burundi francs, its price varies between 6000 and 8000 francs today. A 72 cl bottle of Primus whose official price is 2500 costs 5000 francs”, laments a resident of the town center of the Bubanza district.

Sellers of these products explain that this increase is linked to the shortage of these products.

“We get supplies from Bujumbura (commercial capital), in detail, and the transport price is too high”, explained bistro owners.

However, sources within Brarudi indicate that the distribution chain for these drinks is regular.

The Brarudi delegate says he has lists of beneficiary bistros that are supplied each week.

Asked about this issue, an advisor to the administrator of the Bubanza district proposed a solution that was, to say the least, unexpected.

“Why do you buy these products at this price? They are not medicines, much less food products. Stop consuming them and you will see that sellers will lower the prices,” he said ironically.

A response that, unsurprisingly, was poorly received by consumers who accuse this administrator of being an accomplice of those who speculate on these products.

However, in other districts of the Bubanza province such as Gihanga and Mpanda, sanctions have been imposed on bistro owners who do not respect the official prices.

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A distribution point for Brarudi products in the district of Bubanza, September 2024 (SOS Médias Burundi)