SOS Médias Burundi

Gitega, May 17, 2025 – While the election campaign is in full swing in Gitega, Burundi’s political capital, the public administration is running at a standstill. The mobilization of government employees behind the CNDD-FDD is depriving citizens of essential services – a situation reminiscent of similar abuses during previous elections.

Since the official launch of the election campaign on Friday, May 9, Burundi’s political capital has been running at a standstill. Activities in several public institutions have come to a virtual standstill, much to the dismay of citizens who have come to request crucial administrative services.

In Gitega, many public administrations have deserted their offices to rally behind the ruling party. Among the affected institutions are the district (particularly responsible for issuing national identity cards), the Senate, the governor’s office, the Burundian Office for Environmental Protection (OBPE), the Geographic Institute of Burundi, and several general directorates of the Ministry of Agriculture.

« There was no one to process the files or affix signatures. Everyone was mobilized for the party meeting, » lamented a resident interviewed on May 15, in front of empty offices. That day, the CNDD-FDD was holding a large rally at the Ingoma Stadium, attracting officials, civil servants, and administration officials.

Internal sources report that department heads and institutional officials received clear instructions: attendance at party activities was virtually mandatory. The backdrop is the electoral stakes of the elections scheduled for June 5th, as well as the announced administrative restructuring, which is expected to reduce the number of provinces to 5 and the number of districts to 42 instead of 18 and 119, respectively. This restructuring is pushing some to fight to keep their positions.

In addition to this institutional paralysis, voices are being raised to denounce abuses : service vehicles diverted for the campaign, state fuel used for partisan purposes, and even the manipulation of travel expenses to finance electoral activities. These practices are fueling criticism of the growing confusion between the state apparatus and the ruling party.

This is not the first time such abuses have been observed. During the 2020 and 2015 campaigns, administrative services were also abandoned in several regions of the country, particularly in Ngozi, Rumonge, and Makamba. With each election, the commitment expected of civil servants to the dominant party seems to take precedence over their public service mission. This is a constant source of concern for many observers.

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A CNDD-FDD meeting in Gitega, May 2025