Rutana : two men Sentenced for harming the national economy in a fertilizer fraud case

SOS Médias Burundi

Rutana, October 28, 2025 — The Rutana First Instance Court sentenced two men, Alexis Kwizera, a driver, and Ferdinand Manirakiza, to six months in prison and a fine of one million Burundi francs each for harming the national economy.

The two suspects were arrested on October 20, 2025, in Musongati, Burunga Province, in southern Burundi, while unloading a ton of fertilizer at Ferdinand Manirakiza’s home in Nyabakara village. According to judicial sources, Alexis Kwizera was responsible for transporting the fertilizer to the residence.

During their trial, the two men admitted the crime. They stated that the fertilizer belonged to a trader named Josias, who had disappeared after learning of the police intervention. According to their statements, Josias was preparing to sell the fertilizer in Tanzania.

A nationwide fertilizer shortage

This case comes at a time when a fertilizer shortage is causing serious concern among the Burundian population. In several districts of Burunga province, for example, farmers are lamenting the lack of fertilizer for the 2025 farming season, a situation that threatens to reduce the production of maize and other food crops.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock acknowledged these difficulties in a press release dated October 22, 2025, announcing the indefinite postponement of fertilizer distribution and the payment of wages to farmers, initially scheduled for October 23 nationwide.

The ministry attributes this situation to the low production rate of the company FOMI, estimated at only 27% of national needs. It has asked FOMI to accelerate its production to reach at least 50% of demand.

FOMI—an acronym for Fertilisants Organo-Minéraux Industries—is a Burundian company specializing in the manufacture of organo-mineral fertilizers and agricultural lime. Its products are designed to improve the soil fertility, particularly in acidic tropical conditions and soils poor in organic matter. The product range includes FOMI-IMBURA (complete fertilizer), FOMI-TOTAHAZA (nitrogen fertilizer), and FOMI-BAGARA (potassium fertilizer).

Calls for sector liberalization

Faced with this crisis, many farmers believe the government should liberalize the fertilizer sector. According to them, FOMI has demonstrated its inability to meet the country’s needs, and opening the market to other players would ensure better availability of fertilizers nationwide.