Election campaign in Kiremba : CNDD-FDD demonstrates strength in a tense atmosphere

SOS Médias Burundi

Ngozi, May 13, 2025 – The small east African nation is entering a tense campaign phase, marked by massive mobilizations, a strong presence of the ruling party’s youth league, and signs of intimidation against the civilian population.

Gakere village, in Kiremba district, Butanyerera province (northern Burundi), hosted a massive CNDD-FDD election rally on Tuesday. The President of the Republic, also president of the party’s Council of Elders, and the Secretary-General of the CNDD-FDD led this show of force, which brought together thousands of activists, including many young people from the former provinces of Ngozi, Kirundo, and Kayanza, now merged into Butanyerera.

Omnipresent Imbonerakure, omnipresent fear

The night before the rally, residents of Kiremba experienced a restless night. Starting at 9 p.m., groups of Imbonerakure invaded the streets, chanting and blowing whistles, reawakening long-standing fears. “It was impossible to sleep. We didn’t know what was coming,” confided one resident. By morning, Gakere village was packed with people.

The district at a standstill

Thousands of CNDD-FDD activists meeting in Kiremba in Butanyerera province, photo credit : CNDD-FDD

The passage of the presidential motorcade and the organization of the rally paralyzed all activities. The Kiremba market, shops, and schools remained closed. The majority of teachers participated in the demonstration, while others preferred to stay home, fearing reprisals if they were perceived as opponents.

Coordinated nighttime mobilizations

Similar mobilizations were reported in several neighboring districts. In Bugabira, Busoni (Kirundo), and Marangara (Ngozi), groups of young people gathered overnight. Around 1:00 a.m., they were transported by truck to the rally sites. This well-oiled logistics demonstrates the ruling party’s desire to flex its muscles.

Hostile slogans, growing tensions

In Marangara in particular, some chants were clearly aimed at the opposition, particularly opposition leader Agathon Rwasa, also from Ngozi. Chants such as “Correct the deaf” and “We don’t need traitors in the house” were heard. This rhetoric raises fears of a poisonous electoral climate. “We feel that things can quickly degenerate,” worried a resident of Busoni.

An exhausted and pressured population

In Bugabira, several witnesses report being forced to participate in rallies, despite being tired, sometimes without even having eaten. Fear, weariness, and a sense of insecurity are growing. Voices are being raised calling for campaigns based on freedom of choice and expression. “This is not how you build a democracy,” said a teacher from Kiremba.

As elections approach, calls for restraint are increasing, in the hope of avoiding the excesses of the past.

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Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye at a meeting in Kiremba in the province of Butanyerera, photo credit : CNDD-FDD