As part of the UMUSEKE program, human rights organizations, including the Burundian Human Rights League Iteka and King Umurundi Freedom, are sounding the alarm over ongoing paramilitary activities in eastern Burundi.
According to their information, a paramilitary training has been taking place since the beginning of March 2026 at the Kigarika seed center, located on Ngarama Hill, in the commune and province of Ruyigi (Buhumuza). This site, normally dedicated to agricultural activities, has reportedly been repurposed to host these trainings.
The participants in this training reportedly include demobilized ex-combatants, young Imbonerakure members, and foreign recruits. Some sources mention the presence of individuals speaking Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, and Lingala, raising questions about a possible involvement of foreign elements in this program.
According to information gathered on site, the recruits are undergoing training in weapons handling, including the rapid disassembly and reassembly of rifles, as well as the use of explosives. The site’s supply is reportedly ensured by military trucks, while existing infrastructure, notably food storage warehouses, has been emptied to accommodate this training.
The organizations also indicate that a battalion of approximately 200 recruits, supervised by several dozen instructors from former combatants, is currently in training. Initially planned for multiple battalions, this training has been reorganized into several phases over a period that could extend up to nine months.
In light of these developments, Ligue Iteka and King Umurundi Freedom express serious concern regarding the security risks these activities could generate, both nationally and regionally, in a context already marked by tensions in the Great Lakes region.
These organizations, represented respectively by Anschaire Nikoyagize (Ligue Iteka) and Vianney Nizigiyimana (King Umurundi Freedom), call on the Burundian authorities to break their silence and clarify the objectives of these trainings, particularly concerning the alleged presence of foreign recruits. Furthermore, they urge Burundi’s technical and financial partners, as well as the international community, to closely monitor the situation to prevent any escalation of insecurity.