Gitega : two bodies in three days, a young pregnant woman among the victims, concern grows

SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, June 25, 2026 – Two gruesome discoveries in three days in the district and province of Gitega, in central Burundi, have reignited public concerns about a resurgence of crime in the region.

According to information gathered on site, the lifeless body of a man whose identity has not yet been established was discovered on June 22, 2026, on the banks of the Ruvyironza River, near Rwingiri village, in the district and province of Gitega.

According to a witness, the victim was violently attacked with a blunt object. His body showed serious injuries to his forehead. The same sources indicate that he was transported by motorcycle before being abandoned at this location by unidentified individuals.

Contacted about this, Isaac Nibigira, chief of Rwingiri village, confirmed the discovery of the body. He stated that the circumstances and motives for this murder remain unknown at this stage of the investigation. The administrative official indicated that the body has been transferred to the morgue of the Gitega Regional Hospital.

To date, no suspect has been apprehended. The residents of Rwingiri village are calling for a thorough investigation to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

A pregnant woman found dead in a guesthouse

In another incident in Gitega on June 24, 2026, the lifeless body of a young woman identified as 24-year-old Francine Nduwayezu was discovered in a room at a guesthouse in the Shatanya neighborhood of Gitega.

The information was confirmed by Asthman Ndayishimiye, head of the Shatanya neighborhood, who stated that the exact circumstances of the death were still unclear, while emphasizing that the case was causing considerable concern among the local population.

According to our sources, the victim was approximately seven months pregnant at the time of her death. Two suspects, described as employees of the guesthouse, were arrested and detained at the provincial police station in Gitega, where they are being questioned as part of the ongoing investigation.

These two incidents, occurring within three days, have reignited the debate on the security situation in Gitega province and strengthened public calls for thorough investigations to shed light on these deaths and bring those responsible to justice.

According to a count by SOS Médias Burundi, at least forty bodies have been found since the beginning of the year in Gitega province alone.

For many residents, these are not isolated cases. Last year, the Iteka League, a pioneering human rights organization in Burundi forced into exile since the 2015 crisis, had already ranked the province among the areas most affected by deadly violence.

Despite the recurrence of these tragedies, few investigation results are made public, and the alleged perpetrators are rarely brought to justice, denounce several residents, who speak of a persistent sense of impunity.

These concerns echo those recently expressed by the Catholic bishops of Burundi, who deplored the increasing number of bodies discovered without identification of the perpetrators. These statements prompted a reaction from President Évariste Ndayishimiye, who criticized the clergy for making remarks perceived as critical of state institutions.