Bururi : Vyanda administrator jailed for corn theft while the population is hungry

SOS Médias Burundi

Alexis Nshimirimana, administrator of Vyanda district in Bururi province (southern Burundi), was imprisoned on Thursday, April 10, at Mpimba Central Prison in the commercial city. He is accused of embezzling 13 tons of corn collected by the National Agency for Strategic Management of Food Stocks (ANAGESSA).

Bururi, April 13, 2025 – According to judicial sources, the Anti-Corruption Court ordered his arrest. The investigation into this case has already led to the arrest of two other people : the ANAGESSA stock manager in the Gitsiro zone and the district supervisor responsible for collection. They are currently held at Bururi Central Prison.

This scandal erupts as the Burundian population continues to face soaring prices for basic necessities. “Corn has become a luxury in some families. Meanwhile, our authorities shamelessly embezzle it,” complains a resident of Vyanda.

In an attempt to provide relief to the population, the governor of Bururi launched a campaign to purchase corn from farmers, via ANAGESSA, and then resell it to the population at affordable prices. But on the ground, corruption and mismanagement are standing in the way.

“The worst thing is that corn is rotting in warehouses while we are hungry,” laments a farmer in the region.

“This system is rotten from the inside out,” he adds bitterly.

The investigation is ongoing. But many residents hope that exemplary sanctions will be imposed to put an end to this embezzlement, which worsens their misery.

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A corn sales point reserved for ANAGESSA in western Burundi (SOS Médias Burundi)