Baby Gloria’s Body Still in the Morgue Due to Lack of Means
In Cabiza, located in the commune of Mpanda in Bujumbura Province, a family has been living in endless pain for the past four months. Their daughter, ARAKAZA Gloria, only nine months old, was fatally struck by a car on January 14, 2026. Since the tragedy, her body has remained at the morgue of BAHO MEDICAL CLINIC in Kajaga because the family cannot afford the burial expenses.
According to testimonies collected from neighbors, the child was playing with other children in the family courtyard when their neighbor, NDAYIZIGA Paul, who is also the head of ten households in the area, allegedly started his vehicle without checking whether children were in front of it. The older children managed to run away, but little Gloria, who was still crawling, could not escape the vehicle.
The day after the accident, the baby’s body was transferred to the morgue, where it remains today. Morgue preservation fees are now said to exceed four million Burundian francs, an amount far beyond the means of this impoverished family.
Allegations of Negligence and Protection of the Suspected Driver
Since the accident, the family and several residents have denounced what they describe as inaction by local authorities. According to them, the alleged driver minimized the incident by describing it as a simple accident and has never faced any apparent legal consequences.
Criticism has also been directed at the local administration. The communal administrator of Mpanda, Léopold NDAYISABA, is accused by residents of treating the matter lightly by merely encouraging the population to contribute money for the funeral without any visible judicial follow-up.
Additional accusations target the neighborhood leader, NSHIMIRIMANA Noël. Residents claim that a fundraising effort was organized to support the family, but that the money collected was not fully used for burial-related needs. According to these testimonies, only a coffin was purchased, while the morgue and funeral expenses remain unpaid.
A Call for Justice and Government Assistance
Faced with this situation, residents of Cabiza are calling on higher authorities to intervene so that the truth can be established and the family can obtain justice.
For Gloria’s relatives, time continues to pass in anguish and helplessness. Four months after losing their child, they are still waiting for a solution that would allow them to finally give her a dignified burial.