Burundi : behind the FRAD, fears of a discreet reorganization of the army

Bujumbura, May 7, 2026 – The transformation of the Kigarika public seed center, in the Ruyigi district of Buhumuza province, in the east of the small East African nation, into a military training camp for the FRAD (Reserve and Development Support Force) is raising numerous questions in Burundi. More than 200 members of the Imbonerakure, the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD, the ruling party, are currently undergoing military training there, according to several reliable sources. Amid concerns about the balance of power within the defense forces, the impact on food security, and the unease of local populations, this repurposing is fueling debate in a context marked by the sensitive legacy of the Arusha Agreement.

These recruits were selected from among more than 900 party activists gathered in late February in the border region of Cibitoke, in northwestern Burundi, after their return from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Before their transfer to Ruyigi, the Secretary General of the CNDD-FDD, Révérien Ndikuriyo, visited them and gave each of them 200,000 Burundi francs in financial assistance.

According to military sources, the young trainees come mainly from the former provinces of Cibitoke, Bujumbura, Muyinga, and Kirundo, and are predominantly from the Hutu community. Their training is part of the FRAD (Reserve and Development Support Force), presented as a mechanism for their gradual integration into the Burundian army.

Other training programs are reportedly being prepared in several other centers across the country.

The Kigarika training center is headed by Lieutenant Colonel Minani, an officer who notably served in the Democratic Republic of Congo. More than 100 instructors, mostly military personnel nearing retirement (scheduled for between 2026 and 2027), are training the recruits.

According to information gathered from military sources, the official launch of the training program was overseen by Major General Ignace Sibomana, head of the FRAD (Armed Forces Development and Reconnaissance). During his address, he urged the instructors to adhere to the requirements of the military institution and ensure rigorous skills transfer.

Questions about the balance within the defense forces

This initiative is raising questions in some military circles.

An officer of the Burundi National Defense Force (FDNB) asserts that these new recruits could be intended to gradually replace veterans from the former PMPA (Armed Political Parties and Movements).

Following the 1993 crisis triggered by the assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye, Burundi’s first democratically elected Hutu head of state, several armed groups emerged, notably the CNDD-FDD and the predominantly Hutu PALIPEHUTU-FNL. The Arusha Agreement, signed in August 2000, ended the civil war and allowed for the integration of these movements into the former army, then dominated by the Tutsi-majority Burundian Armed Forces (FAB).

Today, according to this officer, former combatants from the ex-PMPA who have joined the regular army are expected to reach retirement age within the next five years.

“Officially, the aim is to establish a reserve force, but in reality, they are preparing replacements for these ex-PMPA members, and above all, soldiers who are easier to control,” asserts this FDNB officer.

These concerns add to the debates surrounding respect for the balances established by the Arusha Agreement, particularly regarding the composition of the defense and security forces.

According to several military sources, the FRAD is also developing self-development projects, including agricultural and fish farming activities in Rukoko, near the border with Congo, in Gisozi in the center of the country, and in the Muyinga region in the northeast, bordering Tanzania.

An active Burundian military presence in eastern DRC

In recent years, members of the Imbonerakure and elements of the FRAD have been deployed to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo alongside the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) and the FDNB, in operations against Burundian armed groups and the M23 movement, as well as alongside the Wazalendo militias supported by Kinshasa.

Their total number remains difficult to determine. However, an internal report from the Congolese Ministry of the Interior and Security, consulted by SOS Médias Burundi in December 2025, estimates that more than 29,000 Burundian soldiers were deployed in eastern DRC between August 2022 and December 2025.

On several occasions, Major General Ignace Sibomana, head of the FRAD, was seen in Uvira on missions related to the security of Congolese officials traveling between Kinshasa and conflict zones. The provincial capitals of North Kivu and South Kivu, Goma and Bukavu respectively, have been under the control of the M23 rebels since early 2025, forcing Congolese authorities to travel through Burundi’s commercial capital, Bujumbura, before reaching Uvira, where the South Kivu governorate has been established due to the Congolese army’s weakened state. In this region, the Burundian army is increasingly seen as a solution in an environment where militias control more territory than the regular forces.

Kigarika : a seed center transformed into a military training camp

The Kigarika seed center, located on Ngarama village in the Ruyigi district, ceased its agricultural activities at the beginning of March to be converted into a training center for the FRAD (Republican Development Forces).

Spanning approximately 110 hectares, this public agricultural site was dedicated to the production of certified seeds, particularly corn, vegetables, and fruits. Established in the early 1980s, its mission was to strengthen the national seed sector through the production and distribution of seeds adapted to local agro-ecological conditions. The center also included storage sheds and an irrigation system.

The sudden suspension of operations surprised many workers.

“We saw activities stop overnight, without explanation. Today, we are unemployed and without income,” testifies a former employee of the center.
Others claim they have not been able to recoup their investments in the site’s agricultural activities.
According to several local sources, this interruption resulted in the loss of more than 10,000 tons of agricultural production due to the lack of harvesting and maintenance of ongoing crops. Based on average market prices, these losses are estimated at between 8 and 12 billion Burundi francs, equivalent to the annual grain ration for 80,000 to 100,000 people.

A military presence that raises local concerns

Beyond the economic stakes, several residents mention a climate of uncertainty linked to the rapid repurposing of the site and the intensification of military training activities in the area.

Local residents report restrictions on access to certain resources. Water sources that were previously accessible are now difficult to reach, while some roads have been closed, forcing residents to take long detours.

The site is located approximately one kilometer from the 24th Commando Battalion based in Murehe village, also in the Ruyigi district. This proximity to another military infrastructure is fueling concerns among some of the population.

Some residents also claim to have observed military exercises on the outskirts of Ruyigi by groups from the Kigarika site. According to several consistent accounts, some individuals are wearing military training uniforms, while others are dressed in civilian clothes.

Furthermore, several locals say they have heard people speaking Swahili and Kinyarwanda among the groups present at the site or during the exercises observed in the surrounding area.

“We sometimes hear languages ​​that are not usually spoken here, particularly Swahili and Kinyarwanda. This intrigues many people,” reports a resident, speaking on condition of anonymity.

In this context, some rumors circulating in the region also suggest the possible return to the Democratic Republic of Congo of some Congolese nationals living in the Busuma camp, in the context of the fighting between the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) and the M23 armed group. This information has not been confirmed by official sources.

For many residents, the main concern lies in the lack of clear public explanations about the nature of the activities carried out on the site and the identity of the people being trained there.

“We don’t understand why such important agricultural infrastructure has been transformed when the population depends primarily on agriculture,” laments a local resident.

Some local administrative sources indicate that the decision rests with higher authorities. They maintain, however, that discussions are underway to address the concerns expressed by the population, both economic and security-related.

In Kigarika, the transformation of a strategic agricultural center into a military training camp now illustrates the growing tensions between security imperatives, political balances, and food security challenges in a Burundi facing profound changes.