Bukinanyana : a school occupied by fighters, civilians exposed, and responsibilities questioned

SOS Médias Burundi

Cibitoke, January 2, 2026 –
Since December 7, 2025, more than 3,000 fighters, including Burundian soldiers, members of the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo), the Wazalendo militia, and the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), have been gathered in a recently built primary school in Muremera, in the Buhayira zone of ​​Bukinanyana district, Bujumbura province, western Burundi.

Residents are denouncing repeated abuses and demanding their immediate departure.

A Military camp in a new school

According to several local sources, these fighters took up residence in the Muremera Primary School following their defeat by the M23 rebel movement on December 7 on the Congolese front.

According to education officials, the occupied building is a brand-new structure, built by an Indian company as part of the construction of a hydroelectric dam in the region, known as KAB 16, named after the Kaburantwa River where it originates. The school was supposed to open in September, but is currently being used as a military barrack.

The same sources indicate that the surrounding trees have been cut down and used as firewood for preparing meals for the soldiers. Witnesses also report that some school desks have been requisitioned for cooking, destroying the school furniture intended for the children.

Fear and outrage among the population

The residents of Muremera say they live in a state of constant insecurity. They accuse some members of the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo), the Wazalendo, and the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) of looting bars and shops, taking goods without paying.

Residents also fear sexual violence, particularly against young girls.

“We are afraid for our children and our property. These fighters must be removed from our homes as quickly as possible,” says a resident of Muremera.

The Burundian army’s version

According to military sources, the Burundian soldiers present are undergoing training, in preparation for a possible return to the theater of operations in the DRC. However, not all armed groups have reportedly gone to the officially designated regrouping sites.

Reports indicate the existence of an official camp in Kansega (same region), which hosts a transit site for Congolese refugees. Although recognized by the authorities, this site is a source of concern for local populations, as some weapons are reportedly not being strictly controlled, posing a security and humanitarian risk.

When contacted, a military official in the area confirmed the presence of these forces, while acknowledging the risk of confusion with the civilian population. He assures that investigations are underway and that anyone found guilty of abuses against civilians will be severely punished.

An explosive regional context

Congolese soldiers and Rwandan militiamen have fled the recent clashes between the Congolese army (FARDC), supported by the Wazalendo militias and the Burundian army, and the M23 rebels.

Following the M23’s advances in the Ruzizi Plain in December 2025, Burundi repatriated a significant portion of its troops, deployed in the DRC since March 2023. Despite this partial withdrawal, fighting continues on several fronts.

These clashes are taking place despite the Washington Agreement, signed on December 4, 2025, between the DRC and Rwanda under the US mediation, in which Burundi participated as an observer, represented by President Évariste Ndayishimiye.

The M23/AFC and the cross-accusations

Reactivated in 2021, the M23, now part of the Congo River Alliance (AFC) led by Corneille Nangaa, former president of the Congolese Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), advocates for the establishment of a federal state in the DRC.

The movement currently controls several strategic territories in North and South Kivu, including Goma and Bukavu, the capitals of the two Kivus, as well as major mining sites, notably the Rubaya deposit, one of the world’s largest coltan deposits.

Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the M23, while Rwanda denounces the alleged support of the DRC and Burundi for the FDLR, a Rwandan Hutu armed group whose members are accused of participating in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis.

Despite Kigali’s denials, a report by the UN Group of Experts indicates the presence of 5,000 to 7,000 Rwandan soldiers alongside the AFC/M23 rebels.

Growing humanitarian pressure in Burundi

In December 2025 alone, nearly 90,000 Congolese refugees were received in Burundi, in addition to more than 70,000 who arrived earlier in the year. This massive influx is increasing pressure on markets, infrastructure, and local resources, posing a major challenge to Burundian authorities and host communities.