2027 presidential election : CENI maps Gitega and prepares the electoral ground

SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, August 20, 2026 — The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) presented the electoral map of Gitega province, in central Burundi, home to the country’s political capital, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, in preparation for the 2027 presidential election. A total of nine districts are included in this distribution of registration centers and polling stations.

Moving on to the electoral mapping stage, CENI President Prosper Ntahorwamiye detailed the number of registration centers and polling stations planned for the province’s various districts.

Electoral mapping figures

According to data presented by the CENI (Independent National Electoral Commission), Bugendana will have 80 registration centers and 257 polling stations, while Gishubi will have 128 and 294 respectively.

The district of Gitega leads with 192 registration centers and 619 polling stations. Karusi will have 136 and 396 respectively, while Kiganda will have 71 registration centers and 180 polling stations.

In the other districts, Muramvya will have 69 registration centers and 203 polling stations. Mwaro will have 84 and 194 respectively, while Nyabihanga will have 92 registration centers and 212 polling stations. Shombo, for its part, will have 84 registration centers and 274 polling stations.

Two agents per registration center and five members per polling station

According to the president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), each registration center will be staffed with two agents : one census taker and one agent responsible for posting notices.

In each polling station, five members will be recruited to participate in organizing the 2027 presidential election.

Who will be affected by the new registration?

The CENI also specified the categories of people who will be eligible for re-registration.

These include people who were under 18 years of age during the June 2025 legislative and district elections, repatriated citizens, and others who were unable to register for reasons that will need to be analyzed. The elections for members of parliament and district councilors did indeed take place on June 5, 2025.

Concerns about the state of registration centers

During the discussions, some participants expressed concerns about the infrastructure intended to host the elections.

They specifically mentioned the closure of some classrooms, the dilapidated state of some schools used as registration centers, and the case of schools that have been destroyed or rendered unsuitable.

Concerns were also raised about potential disruptions to the electoral calendar due to posting errors.

The CENI promises adjustments

Responding to these concerns, Prosper Ntahorwamiye assured that classrooms that are closed will continue to serve as polling stations.

For schools that are destroyed or can no longer host elections, the CENI plans to relocate the affected centers.

The CENI president also promised that technical errors found in the postings will be corrected to prevent them from disrupting the electoral process.

The presentation of this electoral map marks a new step in the preparations for the 2027 presidential election, with a particular focus on organizing voter registration and ensuring the availability of voting infrastructure.