05-22-2017 ■ Residents of Kamenge say they are perplexed by the escalating violence in their area. At least eight people were injured in a grenade explosion on Saturday evening in Kamenge area, northern Bujumbura, police source says. The grenade exploded in front of the home of Kamenge area chief, Espérence Hakizimana. (...)

05-22-2017 ■ The Chinese Vice President made a three-day visit to Burundi last week. A breath of fresh air for Bujumbura. Strengthening its cooperation in the fields of education, energy, mining and infrastructure was Beijing’s priority for a three-day visit to Bujumbura. But it goes well beyond that since China has (...)

05-21-2017 ■ A Burundian journalist working for Deutsche Welle, Antideteste Niragira called his family at midday on 19 May to tell them he had been arrested by intelligence agents in DRC. The family believes he is being held in dungeons controlled by the intelligence services in South Kivu, across the border (...)

05-18-2017 ■ Exiled civil society leaders say they doubt Benjamin Mkapa’s willingness to help end the Burundi crisis. The Facilitator recently invited them to a two-day meeting due to take place in Entebbe, Uganda from 24 May. The invitation excludes rights group leaders wanted by the Burundi justice. They will be (...)

05-18-2017 ■ The police spokesman accuses Térence Manirambona, MP elected in the political coalition Amizeroy’Abarundi of supporting a group of criminals responsible for many crimes committed in Gitega. The MP rejects these accusations which he describes unfounded. The police announced yesterday the dismantling of a group of criminals. According to police (...)

05-18-2017 ■ Cédric Kwizera, Reagan Ndayizeye and Audifax Harerimana have been killed in a grenade attack in the night of 17 May 2017, in Gikoto area of Musaga southern neighborhood of the capital Bujumbura. “They were with their friend they had come to visit when an unidentified criminal threw a grenade (...)

05-17-2017 ■ The office of the facilitator of the Inter-Burundian dialogue intends to invite the civil society leaders in exile from 24 to 25 May in Entebbe, Uganda.  However, the invitation to the meeting offers no insurance with regard to their participation. “Acknowledge that neither the office of the facilitator of (...)

05-16-2017 ■ During the cabinet meeting from 10 to 12 May, the Minister of Justice presented a draft bill on the revision of the code of criminal procedure. For some serious offenses that are exhaustively enumerated, the search warrant is not required and the night search is also authorized. “We fear (...)

05-16-2017 ■ Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Mediator in Burundi conflict, declared on 14 May that he would highlight the Burundian issue in the upcoming summit of East African Community Heads of State (EAC) scheduled on 20 May 2017. Politicians hope that his firm commitment to end the crisis may accelerate the (...)

05-15-2017 ■ On 12 May, Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza appointed 15 members of a commission in charge of proposing the draft on the amendment to the Constitution. Politicians’ opinions over the commission are divergent. Pascal Ngendakuriyo, the current president of the Special Court of Lands and other Property was appointed Chairperson (...)