Shocking sounds have been circulating on social media and are attributed to Muyinga province police commissioner. This officer says he is ready to decimate any family where “a clandestine night meeting” will be held. Questioned by Iwacu, Jérôme Ntibibogora doesn’t budge an inch. Iwacu proposes a verbatim transcript of his speech in English.
You mentioned something. I do not know if it’s SNL … we as police officers do not know that sort of thing, CNL or SNL. It’s difficult for us to pronounce it, but I would like to tell you your Excellency Governor and the people present here, I really want to tell people who hold night meetings. You who hold a night meeting and mistakenly hold it at home; when we get notified of this meeting, you will be putting your own family in trouble.
As a provincial police commissioner, I will not tolerate people who will secretly hold night meetings in their houses at 11p.m seeking to disrupt security…
I always move with things on me. I go there, I throw (launch) two of them and I go away. Only two. Two would even be a lot…. Do not think that the provincial commissioner will tell a policeman to go to watch over someone who is holding a meeting to stop him. That was done in the past.
If you want to disrupt security I finish with you on the spot. Whether you are with your children or your wife, you pass away together because it is forbidden to fight around the eggs. If you want to fight around eggs, they are broken because that’s just what you wanted. We would like to warn umm….., those people who hold secret meetings that those who will be caught in the house, whether the house or its owners, we will not be asked about their fate. Your Excellency Governor, I say it here. May we not be asked about the fate of those people. I also say it to your people and the administrators have heard it. Go and spread the message.
END
Asked on Thursday, April 18, to verify if he is the author of sounds attributed to him on social media, the provincial police commissioner in Muyinga replied affirmatively. Jérôme Nibibogora proudly said he was coming from another security meeting. “I spoke the same language. Woe to anyone who wants to disrupt the security of the country. To those who oppose his remarks, he says: “Whether they oppose them or not, we will not relax when it’s about a security issue.”
Over the past few months, the police commissioner had also warned clandestine gold miners: “For those who continue to work underground, they should start digging their graves. They are alreVenant Hamza Burikukiye: “It’s just to discourage the recalcitrant.”
The representative of CAPES +, a local civil society organization, finds that the provincial commissioner made these remarks not with the intention of harming or frightening, rather with the intention of discouraging the recalcitrant and getting them to challenge themselves. “It’s like a good family man who sometimes uses direct language to get his children back on track”.
Reaction
Aline Manirabarusha: “The tasks are divided.”
The Governor of Muyinga province believes that the commissioner has taken the necessary steps to improve the security of the province “like any official in charge of agriculture or education can take steps to increase agricultural production or performance in class”. She speaks of an emergency “because there are increasing cases of night meetings reported by all communal administrators”.
Agathon Rwasa: “One does not become a hero by abusing their power.”
“It’s really disappointing to see a high-ranking police officer make such remarks,” said Agathon Rwasa, Head of CNL party. He believes that these statements encourage the political intolerance that has been popular in recent days. Mr. Rwasa recalls that uniforms and weapons are bought by the population including militants of his party. “It is inconceivable that men in uniform threaten our supporters with weapons for which they contributed so they could be bought”. He calls on competent authorities to call to order this police officer who has gone out of his mission to protect the citizens. Mr Rwasa recalls that “no one has become a hero by abusing their power.”
Who is he?
Jérôme Ntibibogora is from Kumwarangabo locality in Mugina commune of Cibitoke province in the west of Burundi. He studied at Rusagarara communal high school. During his schooling, Jérôme Ntibibogora was also a seller of roast meat in a bar located at Ruhwa post office, on Burundi-Rwanda border.
Following the signing of the Arusha Agreement in August 2000, he joined the security forces under the rank of Captain under the instigation of the bar owner.
Since then, he climbed the ladder until he was promoted to the provincial police commissioner. He has worked in Bujumbura city, in the provinces of Cibitoke, Ruyigi, Karusi and in Muyinga where he is currently assigned as a provincial police commissioner.
During the 2015 protests against the third term of President Nkurunziza, Jérôme Ntibibogora repressed demonstrators in the south of the capital, particularly in Musaga.
He also allegedly led men in uniform who entered BUMEREC Hospital in Kinindo area of Muha commune in pursuit of coup plotters.
Jérôme Ntibibogora is married. Various sources in his native locality believe he would be under 40 years old.
Written by Emery Kwizera, Patience Koribirama, Hervé Mugisha,
Igor Giriteka, Egide Nikiza and Agnès Ndirubusa.
Translated into English by Pierre Emmanuel Ngendakumana.
ady dead.”
IWACU Open Data
