Baby Gloria’s Body Still at the Morgue Due to Lack of Funds
In Cabiza, Mpanda Commune, Bujumbura Province, a family has been living in endless grief 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 BAHO MEDICAL CLINIC morgue in Kajaga because the family cannot afford the burial expenses.
According to testimonies gathered from neighbors, the child was playing with other children in the family compound when their neighbor, NDAYIZIGA Paul, who is also the local head of ten households, allegedly started his vehicle without checking whether children were in front of the car. 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 the inaction of local authorities. According to them, the suspected driver allegedly downplayed the incident as a mere accident and has never been held accountable.
Criticism has also been directed at the local administration. Residents accuse the Mpanda communal administrator, Léopold NDAYISABA, of handling the matter lightly by merely calling on the population to contribute money for the funeral, without any apparent judicial follow-up.
Further accusations target the neighborhood leader, NSHIMIRIMANA Noël. Residents claim that a fundraising campaign had been organized to support the family, but the money collected was allegedly not fully used for burial-related expenses. According to these testimonies, only a coffin was purchased, while the morgue and funeral costs remain unpaid.
A Call for Justice and Assistance from Authorities
Faced with this situation, residents of Cabiza are calling on higher authorities to intervene so that the truth can come to light 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 give her a dignified burial.