Gitega : a body recovered from the Ruvyironza River, residents demand answers

SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, December 25, 2025 – Since last October, the province of Gitega, in central Burundi, has been the scene of a disturbing series of violent deaths, with some twenty bodies found in different neighborhoods and villages. On Wednesday, December 24, 2025, Claver Buname, 40 years old, was found dead at the foot of Bubaji hill, in the Gishubi district, reigniting fear and anxiety among residents and calling for urgent action from the authorities to ensure security in the region.

According to witnesses, the victim had a deep wound on his forehead. Benoît Sakubu, chief of Bubaji village, confirmed the information and specified that traces of bleeding were visible on the deceased’s head.

Local sources indicate that Claver Buname was allegedly killed and then thrown into the river to make it appear as though he had drowned. He had been missing since Monday, December 22, 2025, the day he went to his field to harvest potatoes.

To date, no suspect has been apprehended. The body was transferred to the morgue at Ntita Hospital for the necessary procedures.

Faced with this tragedy, the residents of Bubaji village are demanding an independent investigation to identify the motives for this crime and bring the alleged perpetrators to justice.