Burundi : Professor Barumwete calls for honest leaders and people-centered policies

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, September 28, 2025 – In Bujumbura, the country’s commercial capital, Professor Siméon Barumwete delivered a strong message during a discussion workshop on local development strategy, organized Thursday by the NGO PARCEM (Speech and Actions for the Awakening of Consciences and the Evolution of Mentalities). According to him, Burundi will not be able to develop until its leaders place the basic needs of the population at the center of their actions.

The academic denounced practices that still hinder the national development and emphasized the importance of integrity, honesty, and respect for public affairs among leaders.

“Leaders who do not respect Burundians and their property have no place.” “The country will not benefit from that;” he insisted, pointing to the squandering of public resources and the lack of transparency that undermine trust between the state and the population.

A social emergency

Professor Barumwete recalled that Burundi still struggles to meet the basic social needs of its citizens. Healthcare remains inadequate and inaccessible for many, social protection remains embryonic, and the quality of education is considered low despite efforts to achieve universal access. This situation contributes to keeping Burundi among the last countries in the world in terms of human development.

Education and health : two priority sectors

He advocates for a deep reform of the education system to train competent, responsible, and globally-minded citizens. The health sector also requires substantial investment, better infrastructure management, and equitable access to healthcare.

Towards inclusive development

For Professor Barumwete, courageous reforms and governance focused on the public interest can reverse the trend and restore the population’s confidence. “It is only by placing transparency and respect for human rights at the heart of public management that the country will be able to build a better future,” he emphasized.

His message is clear : without honest leaders and public policies geared toward the real needs of the population, Burundi risks remaining trapped in poverty and underdevelopment. But a change of direction now could allow the country to write a new page in its history.