When poverty pushes to the worst : an infanticide shakes Bubanza

SOS Médias Burundi

Bubanza, May 11, 2025 – In Gisovu, a single mother, overwhelmed by financial difficulties, was arrested for killing her three-year-old child. This tragedy calls into question the social support provided to vulnerable families in the small east African nation.

A family tragedy rocked Gisovu village, in Bubanza dstrict and province (western Burundi), on Friday, May 9. A young mother was arrested after slitting the throat of her own three-year-old child before hiding the body in a latrine. The community is in shock.

According to testimonies gathered on the scene, the suspect, Violette Nishuye, allegedly committed this gruesome act in the afternoon, citing a dispute over child support that the child’s father refused to pay. She was arrested shortly after the incident by law enforcement.

“She said she couldn’t take it anymore, that the child’s father wasn’t helping her, and that she had lost control,” confided a still-distraught resident of Gisovu. However, the young woman’s justification did not calm the outrage of local residents. “This isn’t the first time such horrors have occurred. Justice must strike hard,” protested another.

Contacted by SOS Médias Burundi, the communal administrator of Bubanza, Olive Niyonkuru, confirmed the facts and suggested the alleged perpetrator’s possible psychological fragility. Here is the full article with the title and the…

When poverty pushes to the worst: an infanticide shakes Bubanza

In Gisovu, a single mother, overwhelmed by financial difficulties, was arrested for killing her three-year-old child. This tragedy calls into question the social support provided to vulnerable families in the small East African nation.

A family tragedy rocked Gisovu village, in Bubanza district and province, on Friday, May 9. A young mother was arrested after slitting the throat of her own three-year-old child before hiding the body in a latrine. The community is in shock.

According to testimonies gathered at the spot, the suspect, Violette Nishuye, allegedly committed this gruesome act in the afternoon, citing a dispute over child support that the child’s father refused to pay. She was arrested shortly after the incident by law enforcement.

“She said she couldn’t take it anymore, that the child’s father wasn’t helping her, and that she had lost control,” confided a still-distraught Gisovu resident. The young woman’s justification, however, did little to calm the outrage of local residents. “This isn’t the first time such horrors have occurred. Justice must strike hard,” protested another voice.

Contacted by SOS Médias Burundi, the district administrator of Bubanza, Olive Niyonkuru, confirmed the facts and suggested the alleged perpetrator’s possible psychological fragility.

“She is said to have mental health problems. But only the ongoing investigation will shed light on the exact circumstances,” she added.

Expert testimony

According to a social psychologist based in Bujumbura, Burundi’s commercial city, cases of domestic violence are often the result of an accumulation of stress, poverty, and isolation.

“There is a real gap in terms of listening and psychological support, especially in rural areas. Single mothers often find themselves without support, either from family or institutions, which can lead to acts of despair.”

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Women walk along a street in the Matonge neighborhood of the town center of Bubanza province in western Burundi ©️ SOS Médias Burundi