07-02-2017 ■ Earlier this week at a Bujumbura hospital, a baby born to a mother in a coma died after no doctors were available to help. Dr Pontient Ndabashinze, Director of Kamenge University Hospital, known as Roi Khaled, has told IWACU that the absence of doctors was due to “a lack (...)

06-28-2017 ■ During the retreat of political leaders held between Thursday 22 and Friday 23 June in Kayanza Northern Province, Agathon Rwasa, the First Deputy-President of the National Assembly took the opportunity to say things as he feels them. A powerful speech reported verbatim. Kirundi English 1. Bamaze kubica ku mayange (...)

06-27-2017 ■ Members of the local organization Speech and Action for the Awakening of Conscience and Mentality Change (PARCEM) are detained in Bujumbura central prison. The police accuse PARCEM of sending them to destabilize national security. Three PARCEM members who were arrested on 13 and 17 June 2017 were brought to (...)

06-26-2017 ■ Maize seeds, maize flour, manioc, cassava flour, rice and beans have been exempted from customs duties since 15 May. Burundian Association of Consumers (ABUCO) denounces that only importers benefit from this tax exemption. “Consumers have not yet benefited from the tax exemption of imported food”, says Noël Nkurunziza, ABUCO (...)

06-26-2017 ■ In the two last weeks, five Agathon Rwasa supporters were arrested in Gitega central province, and two in Bururi southern province. Aimé Magera speaks of unceasing hanting, what the administration denies. The last arrest took place on Tuesday 20 June, in the administrative centre of Gitega commune. Christophe Manigomba (...)

06-23-2017 ■ From 22 to 23 June 2017, Burundi has hosted the fifth annual forum of the Secretary General of the East African Community comprising the private sector, civil society and other interest groups both from the national and regional levels under the central theme “15 years of the EAC :Towards (...)

06-21-2017 ■ Patients report a great scarcity of specialists at Kamenge University hospital (CHUK). The reality that the management of the hospital regrets. On 13 June, Iwacu met a hopeless mother at Kamenge University Hospital (CHUK) commonly called “Hôpital Roi Khaled”. She was looking for a doctor to operate the tongue (...)

06-20-2017 ■ Three months have just passed without clean water in rural Gikungu area of Ntahangwa commune of Bujumbura. People fear to catch different diseases as they use dirty water from Ntahangwa River. The Company in charge of supplying water and electricity (REGIDESO) says it is aware of the issue and (...)

06-19-2017 ■ The National Assembly will shortly analyze the bill on the national observatory for the prevention and eradication of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Meanwhile, this organ is subject to controversy. The national observatory is an advisory organ, mandated by the 2005 Constitution in article 274. It is (...)

06-17-2017 ■ On 16 June every year, African countries celebrate the Day of the African Child. In Burundi, this day comes as more than 2,000 children are living on the streets of Bujumbura, the Burundian capital, says GIRIYUJA, a child rights group. “I started living on the street when I was (...)