Mabayi : a former CNL member kidnapped from high school grounds

SOS Médias Burundi

Mabayi, June 4, 2025 — The kidnapping of Théophile Niyimbona, principal of the Ruseseka district high school in the district of Mabayi (Cibitoke province, northwest Burundi), occurred on Tuesday, June 3, on the eve of local elections scheduled for Thursday, June 5. A former CNL official who recently joined the CNDD-FDD, he was forcibly taken away in broad daylight by unknown assailants. The act has rekindled concerns about the tense political climate in the region.

According to several witnesses, a jeep without a license plate stopped near the school around noon. Men got out, grabbed Mr. Niyimbona, and forced him into the vehicle before fleeing.

At press time, neither his family nor his former CNL comrades know his whereabouts. A former member of parliament and prominent activist in Agathon Rwasa’s party, Théophile Niyimbona had recently joined the ruling CNDD-FDD. His close friends are raising the possibility of a targeted political act, in a context marked by a series of pressures on former CNL members.

“This is not an isolated case. Those who do not align with the CNDD-FDD line and dare to ask for voter cards are regularly harassed,” said a CNL official who requested anonymity.

Simon Bizimungu, former secretary-general of the party and loyal to Agathon Rwasa, condemns what he calls “arbitrary arrests” and calls for every Burundian to be guaranteed the fundamental right to vote freely.

Despite our repeated attempts, the Mabayi district administrator has remained unreachable. This official silence reinforces fears that intimidation practices are becoming commonplace in the run-up to the election.

Meanwhile, Théophile Niyimbona’s family remains without news, plunged into anguish. Calls for his release are growing, while political tensions continue to grow in this province bordering the DRC and Rwanda.