Bujumbura : thirteen years after the fire, rehabilitation of the former central market still stalled

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, January 28, 2026 – Thirteen years after the devastating fire that destroyed Bujumbura’s central market, the rehabilitation of this strategic site in Burundi’s commercial capital remains an unfulfilled promise. Despite numerous announcements and official commitments, no company has yet succeeded in rebuilding this large, iconic market, once the heart of urban commerce.

The most recent initiative involved the Ubaka Nation Group, tasked with constructing a new complex called Buja City Plaza. Preparatory work was officially launched in September 2024, raising hopes for an imminent restart. However, according to information gathered, the company claims to have only carried out cleaning and sweeping work, at an estimated cost of two billion Burundi francs (BIF), without any actual reconstruction being visible on the site.

Around the former market, private buildings have gradually sprung up, profoundly altering the urban environment and fueling criticism of the chaotic occupation of a strategic public space, long neglected without a clear vision or a credible rehabilitation timeline.

For many affected traders and residents of Bujumbura, this situation illustrates both the extent of the accumulated delays and a persistent failure in the management of a major public asset, to the detriment of the urban economy and thousands of families affected by the loss of their livelihoods.

Faced with this situation, the Observatory for the Fight Against Corruption and Economic Embezzlement (OLUCOME) expressed its strong indignation. At a press conference held on Tuesday, its communications officer, Alexis Nimubona, denounced the government’s prolonged inaction, arguing that it continues to penalize the urban economy and the thousands of affected traders who have been deprived of their main means of livelihood for over a decade.

OLUCOME, however, welcomed the government’s recent announcement that the reconstruction project for the former central market should resume, with an initial investment of 60%, while calling for greater clarity on the concrete implementation details.

Beyond reconstruction, the civil society organization is calling on the Burundian government to adopt urgent preventative measures, including the systematic insurance of markets, raising awareness among traders about joining insurance companies, and strengthening the capacity of emergency services by providing a sufficient number of fire trucks that are always operational.

OLUCOME also advocates for the establishment of an independent technical commission tasked with studying fire prevention mechanisms in general, and those affecting markets in particular, to prevent the recurrence of similar disasters.

As a reminder, the fire at Bujumbura’s central market caused the loss of nearly 5,000 traders’ property, plunging thousands of families into lasting hardship. Thirteen years later, expectations remain high, both for the effective reconstruction of this iconic site and for the implementation of sustainable guarantees of prevention, transparency, and public accountability.