Rumonge : the central market closed to force the collection of voter registration cards

SOS Médias Burundi

Rumonge, May 14, 2025 – On Wednesday morning, gates of the central market in Rumonge (southwestern Burundi) remained closed for several hours, on the orders of local authorities. The stated objective : to encourage residents to collect their voter registration cards in preparation for the upcoming legislative and district elections.

From dawn, all entrances to the market were locked with padlocks. In the surrounding area, young Imbonerakure, members of the ruling party’s youth league, controlled passersby. Only those in possession of their voter registration cards were allowed access to the stalls to buy or sell.

According to several merchants we met on site, operations were only able to start at 11 a.m., after many citizens rushed to the distribution centers.

“We were told we had to show our cards, or we wouldn’t get into the market. I had to go get it quickly to be able to sell my produce,” said a visibly exhausted vegetable vendor.

Queues formed at several collection centers, a sign of the effectiveness—but also the pressure—of this measure. For some residents, this method amounts to a form of administrative blackmail.

Disturbing precedents

This is not the first time that coercive methods have been used to mobilize voters. During the registration phase, several citizens reported being denied access to markets, hospitals, and even police stations for lack of registration certificates. These practices were denounced by human rights defenders as contrary to individual freedom and electoral ethics.

Violated rights : what the law says

In theory, the Burundian law guarantees freedom of movement and access to public services, and bans all forms of political coercion.
The Electoral Code also specifies that participation in an electoral process must be voluntary and informed.
Forcing citizens to withdraw their cards under threat of deprivation of services or loss of economic activity violates the fundamental principles of a free and transparent election.
To date, no authority has been prosecuted for these abuses, despite their recurrence.

Disinterest masked by pressure

For many observers, these practices reflect growing concern among local authorities and the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) regarding widespread disinterest among the population. The lack of genuine electoral competition, exacerbated by the silencing of the opposition, makes the process unappealing to a large proportion of citizens.

According to the official schedule, the collection of voter cards was expected to end on Wednesday. It remains to be seen whether this forced mobilization will result in genuine participation, or will only further fuel distrust of the electoral process.

——-

A sign post welcoming residents to the town center of Rumonge, where the central market has been closed to encourage residents to collect their voter cards (SOS Médias Burundi)