Bubanza : the CNDD-FDD instrumentalises the flower bouquets to impose its authority on the opposition

SOS Médias Burundi

Bubanza, February 6, 2026 – The commemoration of the National Unity Day, celebrated on February 5, 2026 in Bubanza district, Bujumbura province, west Burundi, was marked by a lively controversy involving the district administration and certain political parties of the opposition, notably FRODEBU and UPRONA.

According to the information gathered, the district administration of Bubanza would have made, under the supervision of the parties concerned, wreaths of flowers attributed to FRODEBU and UPRONA to be placed at the monument dedicated to national unity. The initiative caused incomprehension and indignation, especially on the part of FRODEBU.

This opposition party was not represented at the official ceremonies. However, a wreath of flowers bearing its name was carried on the spot by members of the Imbonerakure, the youth league of the ruling party, the CNDD-FDD. The representative of FRODEBU, Ferdinand Sindayigaya, affirms that he does not understand this situation, stressing that no order has been passed by his party. He qualifies this act as a deliberate provocation and announces his intention to report to his hierarchy.

On the side of UPRONA, directed locally by Éric Ndacayisaba, the situation is somewhat different. This party claims to have actually made its own flower. However, the one ordered by the district administration would have been replaced and finally laid by the head of the Bubanza district, who did not hide his surprise at the initiative taken by the administration.

Traditionally, the celebration of National Unity Day is characterized by the laying of wreaths by the administration and legally recognized political parties. However, this year, only two political parties, CNDD-FDD and UPRONA, have officially taken part in the ceremony in district.

FRODEBU and UPRONA denounce what they describe as maneuvers by the ruling party to impose its presence and control the activities of the opposition, without associating them with administrative responsibilities. According to them, the country would evolve towards a de facto monopartisan system, a situation that would push several political parties to withdraw from certain activities organized by the administration or the CNDD-FDD.

The genesis and legacy of the Charter of National Unity

The Charter of National Unity was adopted in the wake of the massacres of 1988 in the former districts of Ntega and Marangara (province of Butanyerra, northern Burundi), tragic events that caused more than 30,000 deaths according to the United Nations. Established by President Pierre Buyoya, the Charter aimed to prevent new violence, promote national reconciliation and establish a framework for a peaceful coexistence.

Thirty-five years after its adoption, the ideal of social cohesion remains fragile and contested. Many civil society actors, such as Faustin Ndikumana, national director of Parole and Actions for the Revival of Consciences and the Evaluation of Mentalities (PARCEM), and Gabriel Rufyiri, president of the Observatory of the Fight against Corruption and Economic Embezzlement (OLUCOME), believe that national unity often remains invisible in daily life, due to persistent discrimination, social inequalities and poor management of public goods. According to them, without a fair and inclusive governance, the annual celebration of national unity is not enough to transform this ideal into reality.

For the population, national unity remains a symbol more than a reality, although the values ​​of solidarity and mutual aid still exist in daily life. Every February 5, National Unity Day reminds us of the need for reconciliation and cohesion, but the recent controversy in Bubanza around the flower bouquets shows that political tensions and social fractures continue to weigh on this national ideal.