Media in Burundi: between calls for openness and persistent challenges to press freedom

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, May 3, 2026 — On the eve of World Press Freedom Day, celebrated annually on May 3, Burundian media professionals are increasingly calling for better access to information and closer collaboration between journalists and public institutions. In Bujumbura, the commercial capital where United Nations agencies, diplomatic missions, and the central administration are concentrated, the Burundi Press House has advocated for non-discriminatory collaboration between authorities and media professionals, in a context marked by the publication of Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) 2026 World Press Freedom Index.

At a press conference held on April 30, 2026, in Bujumbura, the head of the media, Mireille Kanyange, reiterated that “information is a public good,” echoing several statements by Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye in support of the media’s role.

She specifically cited the President’s remarks in February 2021, centered around the slogan “never without the media,” as well as his speech on December 1, 2025, in which he emphasized the importance of the media in Burundi’s social transformation and development.

Based on these statements, Mireille Kanyange denounced certain practices of information withholding within public institutions. She criticized the refusal of some officials to respond to journalists, particularly those from private media outlets.

“Journalists are not enemies of the country, but essential strategic partners in social transformation and economic development,” she insisted.

The president of the Press House also questioned the motivations of certain officials who refuse to share information considered to be in the public domain. She deplored the discrimination faced by several journalists in the private press, calling on the authorities to guarantee fair access to information for all media professionals, without distinction.

This statement comes just hours after the publication, on Thursday, April 30, of RSF’s 2026 World Press Freedom Index. According to this report, Burundi has climbed six places, moving from 125th in 2025 to 119th out of 180 countries in 2026, in a global context marked by a historic decline in press freedom.

Despite this progress, RSF believes that the Burundian media environment remains fragile and continues to face several challenges, including restrictions on access to information, pressure exerted against some journalists, and the economic difficulties faced by many media outlets.

Burundian media continue to suffer the consequences of the 2015 crisis triggered by the controversial candidacy of the late President Pierre Nkurunziza for a third term. This period was marked by the destruction of several independent media outlets, the forced exile of around one hundred journalists, and sustained repression against critical journalism.

Since then, Burundian authorities have progressively implemented measures deemed restrictive by press freedom advocates. Many journalists denounce a climate of mistrust and intimidation in which any professional attempting to practice their profession independently is quickly labeled an “enemy of the nation.”

In conclusion, Mireille Kanyange urged the heads of various institutions to fully collaborate with both public and private media, reminding them that they all contribute to the building and development of Burundi.