Rumonge : a young man found dead in Rutwenzi village

SOS Médias Burundi

Rumonge, August 2, 2026 – The lifeless body of a 24-year-old man, identified as Ezechiel Niyonsenga, was discovered Saturday in Rutwenzi village, in the Mariza zone of ​​Rumonge district, Burunga province, in southwestern Burundi. The circumstances of his death remain unknown. An investigation has been opened to shed light on this case.

According to local administrative sources, the body was discovered early in the morning by residents of Rutwenzi village, who immediately alerted the administrative and police authorities.

The same sources indicate that suicide is being considered. However, this hypothesis has not been confirmed, as the investigation is still ongoing.

According to testimonies gathered by SOS Médias Burundi, Ezechiel Niyonsenga had been living in Rutwenzi village for approximately three years. The circumstances surrounding his death remain unknown, and no official information has yet been released to support one theory over another.

Following the discovery of the body, a judicial police officer went to the scene to conduct the standard procedures before an investigation was opened. The body was then removed for the necessary procedures.

Local residents are calling on the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of his death and, if necessary, to establish the responsibility.

Burunga province is among the regions of Burundi most affected by homicides, disappearances, the discovery of bodies, and other security threats, according to information regularly documented by SOS Médias Burundi.

On several occasions, the Catholic bishops of Burundi have expressed their concern about the resurgence of insecurity in the country. In their pastoral messages, they denounce the assassinations, enforced disappearances, and the numerous bodies found in various locations. They call on the authorities to guarantee the safety of all citizens, to uphold the rule of law, and to effectively combat impunity.

For his part, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi, Fortuné Gaëtan Zongo, urged the Burundian authorities to strengthen the protection of human rights and to conduct swift, independent, impartial, and effective investigations into all alleged human rights violations, including suspicious deaths, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances. He also called on the authorities to bring the perpetrators of these violations to justice in order to guarantee the victims’ right to truth, justice, and reparations.