Gihanga : villagers arrested following a land dispute with the army

SOS Médias Burundi

Bubanza, July 20, 2025 – Six residents of the Gihanga zone, in Bubanza district, Bujumbura province (west), have been detained for six days in the Mudubugu military camp, located in the same region. Among them are three men, two women, and a young girl. They are accused of illegally accessing land now annexed by the army for its military exercises. This situation is rekindling tensions between the defense forces and the local population.

According to administration sources, three of the detainees were returning from harvesting cassava grown on these lands, while the others were cutting firewood. Before their arrest, these villagers were allegedly violently beaten by soldiers, according to several local authorities contacted.

According to testimonies gathered on site, the land in question had been farmed for generations by the residents. But since the establishment of the military camp, the army has reportedly gradually closed off access to the area, transforming it into a firing range for heavy weapons. More than ten people are said to have already lost their lives there, shot dead by soldiers while walking within the perimeter.

Meetings have been held to discuss compensation. However, promises have been slow to materialize. Residents accuse certain administration officials and local dignitaries of having collected compensation in their place, while ordinary citizens are still waiting.

“These lands belonged to our ancestors. We have cultivated them for generations,” laments a Mudubugu resident, who denounces a dispossession orchestrated under the guise of military interests.

Léopold Ndayisaba, former administrator of Gihanga, confirms that the land did indeed belong to the villagers before it was requisitioned by the state for the camp. He assures that compensation procedures are underway. Defense Minister Alain Tribert Mutabazi, for his part, called for calm, promising that compensation would be paid soon.

But the minister also warned that anyone crossing the boundaries of military territory or attempting to access it without authorization would face severe penalties.

On the ground, mistrust remains high. Residents say they find it hard to believe official promises unless they are followed by action.