Bubanza : a technical school closed to the public after an Imbonerakure is stabbed

SOS Médias Burundi

Bubanza, February 2, 2026 – Access to the Bubanza Technical School (ETB), located in Bubanza district, Bujumbura province, in western Burundi, has been prohibited to the public since January 30, 2026. This decision follows a series of security incidents that have caused concern within the school community.

According to local sources, a pupil, a member of the Imbonerakure, the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD, the ruling party, was stabbed by unidentified individuals on the evening of January 19, 2026, inside the school. Two days later, another pupil was abducted by unknown individuals before being found safe and sound in Butanyerera province, in the north of the country.

As part of the ongoing investigations, a suspect was arrested and detained. Faced with this concerning situation, the administrator of the Bubanza district, Sabbas Niyokindi, convened a meeting with the ETB teachers, pupils’ representatives, and local authorities. Following this meeting, it was decided to close the school to the public, except with special authorization.

To reinforce security, barriers have been installed at the main entrance of the school, with guards deployed during the day. At night, a police presence is maintained on the premises, with barbed wire installed around sensitive areas.

However, prior to these incidents, the Bubanza Technical School was already cited by several sources as a venue for political activities reserved for the ruling party. Imbonerakure (youth wing of the ruling party) were involved in maintaining order, sometimes in a manner deemed inappropriate by some observers.

A climate of persistent mistrust is thus reported between young people affiliated with the CNDD-FDD (National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy) and those who do not identify with this political ideology.

Furthermore, residents who regularly used the road crossing the school grounds deplore this blockage, stating that they now encounter difficulties finding a shorter route for their daily commutes.

With its large, unfenced property and boarding school system, the Bubanza Technical School remains vulnerable, according to several opinions gathered, despite the security measures taken. Many believe that barriers and guards alone will not be enough to provide lasting reassurance to the school community. In addition to the need for a proper fence, calls are growing for the depoliticization of the Bubanza Technical School to guarantee a safe, neutral, and conducive learning environment.