Cibitoke : a series of deadly landslides hit gold mining sites

In the space of a few weeks, the province of Cibitoke has been the scene of several mining tragedies. Landslides caused by heavy rainfall have already cost the lives of more than a dozen gold miners and seriously injured several others. Faced with this alarming situation, authorities and residents are wondering what security measures should be put in place.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

In less than a month, more than a dozen gold miners have lost their lives and several others have been seriously injured in the province of Cibitoke, in northwest Burundi, due to landslides at various mining sites.

The most recent tragedy occurred on Wednesday afternoon in Rutorero village, in the Butahana zone, Mabayi district. A landslide buried six gold miners, causing their death, while eight others were seriously injured. “We were able to recover three bodies, but the other three remain untraceable,” said a gold miner present at the scene.

This is not an isolated case. On January 28, six other gold miners died at the Nyakagezi site, operated by the “Ngara Ducukure Ubutare” cooperative. Nine others were seriously injured in Gafumbegeti village, also in the Mabayi district.

In total, the collected information indicates 12 deaths and around fifteen serious injuries in recent weeks.

Dangerous conditions made worse by the rains

The heavy rainfall in recent days has made mining even more dangerous. Gold miners, often exposed without adequate protection, are buried under mudslides that destroy entire swathes of land. Local sources also report that several illegal gold miners have disappeared in the Kibira forest, victims of the same conditions.

Faced with this alarming situation, residents denounce poor management of the mining sector and point the finger at the incompetence of the administration.

“Authorities should impose a clear legal framework, guaranteeing gold miners social security and health insurance, while defining compensation mechanisms for the victims’ families,” they argue.

An administration on the defensive

Human rights defenders in the province of Cibitoke are urging the State to strengthen the security of gold miners by facilitating their access to protective equipment. For his part, the governor of Cibitoke, Carême Bizoza, acknowledges the incidents but insists on the responsibility of gold miners working outside the legal framework. He promises severe sanctions against offenders and recalls having personally communicated his telephone number for any denunciation of illegal activities.

However, he encourages gold miners to join cooperatives and to practice their profession in transparency, in order to limit risks associated with this essential but dangerous activity.

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A gold miner removed from a hole on a site located in the district of Mabayi, February 2025 (SOS Médias Burundi)