Vumbi: a local CNL official admitted to hospital after being beaten up by Imbonerakure
Leonard Habayimana is admitted to the Kirundo hospital (northern Burundi) after being beaten up by Imbonerakure (members of the CNDD-FDD youth league) over accusations of preventing residents from registering for the 2025 elections. The man is a CNL party official in the locality of Nyagatovu, in the commune of Vumbi in Kirundo. The communal administration speaks of a mere quarrel.
INFO SOS Médias Burundi
The attack took place in the locality of Nyagatovu last Wednesday. According to witnesses, it was the local Imbonerakure leader, Eric Bigirimana, who was leading a group that attacked the opponent.
“There were four of them. Eric was accompanied by three other Imbonerakure. They are: Emmanuel Birame, Nduwayo nicknamed Migagaro and Bivunyungu”, say residents. Leonard Habayimana was accused of having sensitized residents not to participate in the voter registration operation underway in Burundi.
According to witnesses, this local CNL leader was seriously beaten by Imbonerakure until he lost consciousness.
“He was bleeding from the nose and mouth. Some residents tried to intervene to stop them, in vain. Others fled”, they say.
In a very critical condition, Leonard Habayimana was taken to the Gasura health center in the commune of Vumbi. After noticing that they could not treat this case, the managers of this health facility transferred him to the provincial hospital where he is receiving treatment.
The victim’s relatives and his party are asking the courts to punish the perpetrators of his attack.
The administrator of the commune of Vumbi Jennifer Kankindi speaks of a simple quarrel between residents. The commune of Vumbi as well as the neighboring commune of Ntega are among the regions of Burundi where violence is reported on the eve of and during the elections. Voter registration in the small East African nation will end on October 31. Across Burundi, there are reports of low participation in this operation which began on October 22.
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CNL activists injured by Imbonerakure in the commune of Vumbi, April 2020
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