Kinama under the control of the Imbonerakure : violence, looting, and night terrors denounced

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, March 24 — In the Kinama zone of ​​Ntahangwa district, north of the commercial capital of the small east African nation, security in the neighborhoods is deteriorating and causing serious concern among residents. Night patrols conducted by young people affiliated with the ruling party, the CNDD-FDD, are at the heart of serious accusations of abuses against civilians.

In the Carama neighborhood, several witnesses claim that Imbonerakure members roam the streets every night, stopping passersby and subjecting them to violence. “Anyone found in possession of a firearm will be executed on the spot, without being brought before the appropriate authorities,” threatened an Imbonerakure leader, according to witnesses.

According to these same sources, anyone intercepted late at night is forced to hand over money, phones, and other belongings. Those who refuse are beaten and subjected to public humiliation, including being forced to walk back and forth through a group.

An individual nicknamed “Coach,” identified as an Imbonerakure posing as an intelligence agent, is cited as one of the main perpetrators of these abuses. Residents claim he has already been arrested several times while robbing civilians.

Sources close to the movement indicate that these patrols are part of directives aimed at ensuring the neighborhood’s security. The young men carry clubs and sometimes firearms. Those who refuse to participate pay money to certain local leaders, including “Coach.”

Faced with this situation, residents are demanding urgent intervention from the authorities to restore security and put an end to these practices.

When contacted, the local administration claimed to be unaware of these events, while assuring that security was guaranteed in this northern part of Bujumbura.

A controversial league : between security enforcement and recurring accusations

The Imbonerakure are the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD, the former Hutu rebel group that has been in power in Burundi since 2005, following the Arusha Agreement of August 2000. They are regularly cited in cases of abuse targeting opponents or suspected opponents.

Often called upon by Burundian authorities, including President Évariste Ndayishimiye, the Imbonerakure accompany the army in certain military operations in the DRC, participate in border security, and take part in nighttime patrols in the neighborhoods and villages of the small east African nation.

Human rights organizations denounce their persistent impunity. According to the Iteka League’s annual report published in January, the Imbonerakure were implicated in 110 of more than 400 people killed in the country in 2025.

For their part, Burundian authorities and CNDD-FDD officials present this league as a pillar of development and accuse their detractors of trying to tarnish its image and that of the country.

As a reminder, the UN described the Imbonerakure as a militia and a tool of repression for the CNDD-FDD regime in 2015, following the violence linked to the controversial third term of the late President PierreNkurunziza.

An open endorsement from the Head of State

In August 2023, President Évariste Ndayishimiye brought the Imbonerakure back into the spotlight during a day dedicated to them, praising their role in securing the borders.

“Burundi is protected because we have the Imbonerakure.” “Anyone who doesn’t believe in it should come and violate our borders. They will be disillusioned,” he declared.

Speaking in Kirundi, the head of state also praised their involvement in the night patrols and called for their intensification, believing that criticism of the league has been orchestrated by the West since the 2015 crisis.