Bujumbura : national identity cards are scarce, applicants at their end of patience

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, September 28, 2026—In certain areas of the Mukaza district in the commercial capital, Bujumbura, where several public institutions and numerous administrative services are concentrated, obtaining a national identity card has become an ordeal for some citizens. Applicants claim to wait up to two weeks without being served, even though these documents should, according to them, be available at the offices in their respective areas. They are calling on the relevant authorities to find a solution to these delays. For its part, the administration cites, in particular, a lack of vehicles and fuel to ensure the delivery of applications and cards.

Applicants face long delays

In some areas of Mukaza, the number of available national identity cards is insufficient to meet the demand. Citizens say they have to go to the local offices repeatedly, sometimes for several days, without any guarantee of obtaining their documents.

The situation is particularly worrying in Nyakabiga, where many residents say they face significant delays in obtaining or collecting their identity cards.

“The police can ask you for this card anywhere.”

For some residents, the lack of identity cards is also a source of concern, especially given the regular police checks carried out in certain neighborhoods of the capital.

“You know that the police conduct searches and raids, particularly in certain neighborhoods of Nyakabiga, Jabe, and Bwiza. When you find yourself facing the police at your home and you don’t have this card, you are sometimes forced to pay money to avoid problems,” complains a Nyakabiga resident.

Residents are asking the authorities to facilitate access to administrative documents and to reduce the travel and waiting times imposed on applicants.

The administration cites a lack of resources

The Bwiza administration acknowledges that the number of available cards may be insufficient to meet demand, particularly on busy days.

The cards must also be signed by the district administrator before being issued to the recipients. According to the administration, a lack of fuel is one of the main obstacles to the delivery of files and cards, with some areas also facing a shortage of vehicles.

Residents want identity documents to be delivered to the respective district offices within a reasonable timeframe. They are calling on the authorities to strengthen logistical resources and transportation capacity to reduce delays.