SOS Médias Burundi

Rutana, May 15, 2025 – New political tension in Burundi. On Thursday, in the midst of the election campaign, members of the Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) were blocked for several hours in Musongati (southeast Burundi). The party’s chairperson, Anicet Niyonkuru, denounced an intimidation tactic orchestrated by local authorities, SOS Médias Burundi has learned.

The convoy, which was traveling to Mpinga-Kayove for a campaign activity, was intercepted by a district tax collector. The vehicle, decorated in CDP colors and equipped with loudspeakers playing party songs, was stopped under the pretext of « non-compliance with administrative procedures. »

According to Anicet Niyonkuru, contacted by SOS Médias Burundi, the district administrator ordered the group to be immobilized due to a lack of formal authorization. The vehicle remained stuck for more than three hours, surrounded by two metal barriers. On board was MP Gaston Sindimwo, former First Vice-President of the Republic.

« This is a flagrant violation of the freedom of assembly and expression guaranteed by the Constitution, » Anicet Niyonkuru denounced. « Our members are regularly intimidated on the ground. This is clearly an abuse of power to silence the opposition. »

The CDP also reported another incident the day before in Tangara, in Butanyerera Province (north).
There, a local party official was reportedly stripped of his campaign materials—including membership cards—by a district official close to the CNDD-FDD, the ruling party, according to testimonies collected by SOS Médias Burundi.

These incidents come as the country is engaged in a tense electoral campaign for the legislative and district elections scheduled for June 5. Several opposition parties have already reported cases of harassment, destruction or confiscation of posters, and bans on rallies or meetings in certain districts, particularly in the provinces of Ngozi, Kirundo, Bururi, Gitega, and Bujumbura. Some candidates claim to be forced to campaign discreetly to avoid reprisals from the Imbonerakure, the ruling party’s youth wing, which is often accused of intimidation.

« We call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and all relevant institutions to ensure a level playing field. Without this, the credibility of the electoral process is at risk, » warned Anicet Niyonkuru.

So far, no official response has been received from the district administration or national authorities, SOS Médias Burundi noted.

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A gathering of CDP party officials in the political capital Gitega, photo credit : the CDP party