Burunga : disappearance of a former CNDD-FDD combatant, the possibility of a political kidnapping raised

SOS Médias Burundi

Nyanza, February 28, 2026 – Eric Cubwa, 50 years old, has been missing since February 22, 2026, in Nyanza district, Burunga province, southern Burundi. His family alleges he was kidnapped and is concerned by the authorities’ continued silence.

An influential businessman and active member of the fishermen’s committees in Kabonga, Nyanza district, Eric Cubwa is originally from Kabonga village, Kabonga zone. A father of 15 children married to two wives—one residing in Kabonga village, the other in the Mayengo neighborhood of the town—he was a well-known figure in this lakeside community on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, which is shared by Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia.

A former fighter in the former Hutu rebel group, the CNDD-FDD, which became the ruling party in 2005 following the Arusha Agreement of August 2000, and an activist within the party, he was known for his outspokenness. According to those close to him, he did not hesitate to criticize certain internal practices while actively defending the interests of fishermen, a vital sector in the region.

Local sources also indicate that he was related to the late Hafsa Mossi, a former minister assassinated in July 2016, which fuels speculation surrounding his disappearance.

Alleged abduction in the middle of the evening

According to his family, on Sunday, February 22nd, around 7:00 PM, a pickup truck with tinted windows and no license plates pulled up in front of his home in the Nyanza district. Unidentified individuals allegedly bundled him into the vehicle without explanation before driving off to an unknown destination.

Since then, there has been no news.

His relatives say they have contacted local administrative and police authorities, but have received no concrete information. To date, no official statement has been issued by the provincial authorities of Burunga.

Eric Cubwa’s family demands a full investigation into his disappearance and is appealing to anyone with reliable information to come forward so that he can be found.

In Nyanza, concern is growing, and the official silence is fueling questions.