Burundi : the triple crisis of fuel, electricity, and water is suffocating residents, businesses, and schools

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, October 2, 2025 – For nearly five years, fuel has been in short supply across the small east African nation. Added to this are power outages and a shortage of drinking water that are paralyzing daily life in the commercial and political capitals, respectively Bujumbura and Gitega, as well as in several other urban centers across the country.

Residents share poignant accounts of this crisis, which affects all sectors. In Bujumbura, Aline N., a mother of three, says, “I can’t even breastfeed my baby during breaks anymore because I don’t have enough fuel to get around.” In the southwest of the country, Jean-Pierre M., a small business owner, confides : “We’re at the end of our rope. Without electricity or fuel, everything stops.”

The power outage is also affecting businesses. Mireille K., a milk seller in Gitega, laments : “Every day, we lose money because we can’t keep our products fresh.” Pastry shop owners are facing the same problem. “Our ovens only work intermittently. We’re forced to throw away prepared orders; it’s catastrophic for our business,” explains Emmanuel R., a pastry chef in Bujumbura.

Students at the public university, in the midst of second-session exams on the Bujumbura and Zege campuses in Gitega, are denouncing their inability to work under these conditions. “Between the power outages and the lack of water, it’s becoming very difficult to concentrate and study,” several young people explain. Primary and secondary school pupils are also affected, unable to revise or prepare for their tests properly.

In several provinces, hospitals are also affected by these deficiencies, making the work of healthcare staff difficult and patient care more complex. The media, especially in the commercial city of Bujumbura, are also suffering : broadcasts are suspended or newspaper editions interrupted due to lack of power. Even those with generators struggle to power them due to fuel shortages.

The lack of water further weakens the sanitary conditions of households and schools. Béatrice T., a resident of Bujumbura, warns : “Without water, it is impossible to keep the family clean and healthy, especially with cholera spreading for two months in several neighborhoods.”

Regideso, the only state-owned company responsible for the production and distribution of water and electricity, remains silent in the face of this prolonged crisis. Craftspeople and small businesses are forced to suspend their activities, resulting in significant financial losses.

Economists estimate that Burundi is currently experiencing the worst crisis it has ever experienced, even during the embargo period of the 1990s.

Faced with this triple crisis, residents, students, and traders are calling for urgent measures to restore electricity, guarantee fuel supplies, and secure access to drinking water. Without rapid responses, the daily lives of thousands of Burundians remain paralyzed, jeopardizing health, education, and the local economy.

Yet, President Évariste Ndayishimiye and his team continue to claim that life is cheaper in Burundi than in neighboring countries. The head of state has even gone so far as to declare that “Burundians have never been so happy,” a statement his critics describe as a “real insult” given the real difficulties experienced by the population.