Giharo : the reign of fear and political impunity

SOS Médias Burundi

Giharo, October 9, 2025 – In the Giharo zone, in the Musongati district, violence against members of the Uprona party and law enforcement officers is on the rise. Between assaults, judicial blockages, and suspicious transfers, fear and impunity now seem to reign over the local justice system.

On Wednesday, October 2, 2025, Usuel Ntakarutimana, head of Uprona in the locality, was violently attacked in a local bar. His alleged attacker was Pierre Sahabo, according to a resident who spoke to SOS Médias Burundi. Sahabo injured the victim’s shoulder before being overpowered by the victim.

“The man suddenly arrived with a machete. Usuel defended himself with all his might; they fought until he managed to wrestle the weapon from him. It’s a miracle he’s still alive,” said a witness.

Although the assailant confessed to the judicial police officer (OPJ) in charge of the case, the latter stated that he felt incompetent and promised to forward the file to the prosecutor’s office at the Rutana First Instance Court. To date, the file has still not been forwarded, fueling suspicions of delay due to fear of transfers, as was the case with Gilbert Niyonizigiye, who was transferred after investigating a similar case against Théoneste Juma, another UPRONA official.

Justice under political pressure

These incidents illustrate a deep malaise within the local police and justice system. Officers tasked with investigating crimes involving members or supporters of the CNDD-FDD, the Imbonerakure, the ruling party’s youth wing, find themselves isolated, displaced, or silenced.

“In Giharo, when an opponent is attacked, the case always stops before reaching the prosecutor’s office. And when a police officer dares to act, he is punished,” laments a resident of the district.

The precedent of Commissioner Japhet Mukeshimana

This climate of intimidation is not new. In 2024, the district commissioner of Giharo, Major Japhet Mukeshimana, was killed with a machete while attempting to pursue Imbonerakure suspected of murdering a young teenager. Among the prime suspects, according to several local sources, was the head of the district Imbonerakure, who was also the district education director.

More than a year later, no perpetrator or instigator has appeared in court, even though the case should have been tried in flagrante delicto. For many residents, this judicial slowness confirms that some people are above the law.

A well-operated system of impunity

From Giharo to other districts in the province, the same pattern is repeated :

The victims are often opponents or critical citizens;

The attackers enjoy tacit protection;

Upright police officers are transferred or intimidated;

The cases never reach the prosecutor’s office.

A local human rights defender summarizes :

“Here, justice doesn’t follow the law; it follows fear. As long as the truth bothers the powerful, it remains locked away in police station drawers.”

Meanwhile, Usuel Ntakarutimana lives in fear. His alleged attacker roams freely, and the memory of Commissioner Japhet Mukeshimana still haunts people’s minds. Two men, two destinies linked by the same question :

How long will the Burundian justice system tolerate the machete replacing the law?

In the Giharo zone, fear and impunity continue to prevail, leaving citizens and law enforcement officers at the mercy of political violence.