05-03-2018 ■ As the electoral campaign for the upcoming constitutional referendum has officially begun on May 2nd, Burundi catholic bishops find that the moment is inopportune to amend the constitution. They call on Burundians to safeguard unity and peace. In a statement released on May 2, Joachim Ntahondereye, Chairman of the (...)

05-01-2018 ■ More than 2500 people from Kiyange area, Buterere zone, Ntahangwa commune in Bujumbura were left homeless because of devastating flood which has hit the area since 28 April. The population asks for assistance. “Life has become impossible in this capital. We do not know where to go for help. (...)

04-26-2018 ■ Forty million euro a year is the aid the Netherlands gives to Burundi to foster its development, said Harry Verweij, Netherlands ambassador to Burundi, on 25 April in a press conference he held as part of the celebration of the King’s Day in the Netherlands That day will be (...)

04-25-2018 ■ “We are concerned about poor sanitation and inadequate food for children and beggars removed from the streets in the centers where they are temporarily accommodated,” reads the press release of 24 April 2017 by the National Federation of Associations Defending Children’s Rights (FENADEB) Since 23 April, Burundi government has (...)

04-24-2018 ■ Burundi president Pierre Nkurunziza fixes the beginning of the electoral campaign to sensitize people to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No” in the upcoming constitutional referendum on May 1st. An MP elected from the opposition political coalition worries that administrative authorities may not treat all political parties equally. The sensitization campaign (...)

04-20-2018 ■ Residents of Ngagara (Q2) neighborhood, Ngagara Zone, north of Bujumbura are gripped by fear. They report that machete-armed people attacked this neighborhood three times within a week. They demand that the police strengthen security. “Yesterday night, around 2 am, I heard my neighbors crying loudly calling for help. Then (...)

04-20-2018 ■ The National Assembly analyzed on 19 April, a bill revising the law on the press. Article 7 of the bill requires media professional to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in journalism. MPs worry that some journalists will be dismissed. Agathon Rwasa, First deputy-speaker of the National Assembly deplores (...)

04-19-2018 ■ “The government never declared that it intends to boycott the inter-Burundian dialogue since it takes the latter as a priority in the resolution of the problems that the country is facing,” reads the statement issued on 17 April. The statement read by Philippe Nzobonariba, Secretary General of the government, (...)

04-18-2018 ■ “Opponents are threatened and arbitrarily killed,” reads the report released by Human Rights Watch on human rights situation in Burundi on 17 April. According to this NGO, Burundians suspected of opposing the referendum are mistreated. Human Rights Watch has recorded 19 cases of abuse since 12 December 2017. It (...)

04-17-2018 ■ More than 250 families in Gatumba zone of Mutimbuzi commune in western Bujumbura are homeless. Their houses were destroyed following the heavy rain that has fallen since 10 April. The large part of Gatumba area is flooded. The locals no longer go about their daily activities because for some, (...)