Domestic workers still don’t see importance of having professional card

Since 2015, house workers were asked to buy a professional card. Three years after the sensitization, they still complain about the obligation to have it.

House workers’ professional card

Each card is sold at BIF 7300 and extra money can be paid if the house worker does not have two passport pictures as required. Apart from that money, every owner of this card has to pay BIF 500 per month. House workers do not see the importance of buying this card.

André Mbonimpa is a house worker in Musaga zone of Ntahangwa commune in the southern part of the capital Bujumbura. He says he does not see any importance of buying this card. “There came two men and asked me to show them the card but I didn’t have it. They threatened to imprison me next time if they find that I have not yet bought it. I don’t know whether they are recognized by the government or not,” he said.

Paul Bukuru, another house worker met in Musaga zone, says he has bought the card twice but has never understood the importance of this card. “I bought it because I was threatened”.

Bukuru says the sum house workers are obliged to pay is a great deal of money while they are not well paid. He also says he does not see the importance of buying another card while he already has an identity card: “This is another way of robbing us.”

Gilles, another domestic worker, deplores the fact that police agents help the associations to arrest them while the president has recently said that it is not an obligation. “The staff of the Platform of Domestic Workers and Employers’ Associations- CATED came accompanied by the police and threatened to jail me if I don’t buy it.”

Richard Manirambona, chairman of CATED, says the professional card is given for the country’s security, workers’ well-being and employers’ safety.

He says there are even some house workers who are not affiliated to any association but who have the card. “It is better that they have the professional card because some people pretend to be house workers whereas they are not”, says Manirambona.

Terence Ntahiraja, spokesman and assistant to the ministry of home affairs says integrating an association is not an obligation. He appeals to the police and administration to pay attention so that they won’t victimise people.

Iwacu tried to contact the police to shed light on the above raised cases of arrest to no avail.