REGIDESO: 30,000 meters arrive, but accusations of corruption, favoritism, and embezzlement fuel subscriber anger

SOS Médias Burundi

Muyinga, June 10, 2026 – The arrival of several containers of electricity meters destined for the Water and Electricity Production and Distribution Authority (REGIDESO) has reignited both the hopes and the anger of thousands of customers still waiting for connection. While more than 30,000 meters are reported to have entered Burundi through the Kobero border crossing in the Muyinga region, on the border between Tanzania and Burundi, serious questions remain about their management, traceability, and distribution methods.

Containers arrive via Kobero

Four containers loaded with electricity meters crossed the border at Kobero, in the Muyinga region, on the border between Tanzania and Burundi. According to information gathered from customs officials, these trucks are transporting more than 30,000 electricity meters destined for the Burundian market.

However, an internal source at REGIDESO indicates that this equipment has not yet been officially added to the state-owned company’s inventory.

“The containers have indeed arrived in Burundi, but to our knowledge, the meters have not yet been added to REGIDESO’s inventory,” confided an executive on condition of anonymity.

Conflicting explanations regarding the arrivals

In a recent media appearance, REGIDESO’s Director General, Albert Manigomba, stated that the meters have indeed arrived and that their distribution will begin gradually.

He explained that the equipment comes from several supply chains, including Egypt, where some was delivered by air, and another batch transported by land and sea via Kenya.

According to him, this second route experienced delays due to a strike by truck drivers demanding their allowances along the way. However, no details were provided regarding the status of these drivers or their contractual responsibilities.

These explanations have not convinced everyone, with some observers citing a lack of transparency in the overall management of the inventory.

Thousands of customers have been waiting since 2024.

On the ground, frustration is growing. Several users claim to have paid connection fees since February 2024 without ever receiving a meter.

“I paid all the required amounts in February 2024. Since then, I have been going to REGIDESO regularly without any progress,” testifies a resident of Kirundo, in the north of the country.

In several provinces, complaints are multiplying, and customers say they do not understand the distribution criteria. Some claim that connections are being made quickly for certain beneficiaries, while others have been waiting for more than two years.

Allegations of favoritism and suspicions of corruption

Faced with delays, some users are denouncing practices they describe as favoritism and corruption.

“We are told that the meters are not available, but some people are served after paying significant sums under the table,” claims a user encountered in Bujumbura, the country’s commercial capital.

Others speak of an opaque system where delays depend on connections or unofficial additional payments.

REGIDESO management firmly rejects these accusations, calling them “baseless lies.”

An institution under pressure

Despite official denials, mistrust persists. Many customers say they have lost confidence after months, even years, of waiting.

“We paid a long time ago. Today, we are still being asked to wait without a clear explanation,” laments a resident of Rumonge, in the southwest of the country.

Some are going further, even demanding compensation for the losses suffered due to the accumulated delays.

A still unclear situation on the ground

In the political capital, Gitega, several residents also confirm having paid for their connections without receiving service. A local official believes the situation remains easy to verify.

“If the meters have actually arrived, their distribution should begin immediately. We’ll soon see the truth on the ground,” he says, expressing deep skepticism.

Between promises and doubts

While more than 30,000 meters have reportedly been imported, REGIDESO promises a gradual distribution. But on the ground, expectations remain high, and accusations of mismanagement continue to fuel the controversy.

The issue of transparency in the supply chain and the distribution of the meters remains a central concern, in a context where access to electricity remains a major challenge for thousands of Burundian households.