Alain Guillaume Bunyoni, Minister of Public Security and Disaster Management, says victims of floods in Bujumbura city are victims of uncontrolled constructions. “The best solution is to leave the localities. They know how they arrived there and they must do so to leave the places,” he says. It was during the presentation of the half-yearly achievements made by his ministry this January 15.
Alain Guillaume Bunyoni: “We cannot force them to leave the places but, the natural disasters will take care of them”
Minister Bunyoni also says some victims of “Winterekwa” neighborhood, in the north of Bujumbura city have already left the localities while others are still there. “We cannot force them to leave the places but the natural disasters will take care of them,” he says. The Minister calls on the victims to inform the administrative officials about the prevailing situation. “The latter should plead for their support,” he says. Otherwise, he says, victims should look for other places rather than Bujumbura city. “They know where they come from and they should return there”, he says.
Minister Alain Guillaume Bunyoni says the government will support those who are victims of floods who erected their houses in accordance with the law. “They will receive sheets to cover their houses”, he says adding that different organizations are also intervening to help them as there is no governmental fund to support victims of natural disasters.
On 22 December, the heavy rain that fell in the north of Bujumbura city caused several causalities including 15 dead and 45 injured. 57 houses were completely destroyed, 57 others partially demolished and 132 were flooded in “Winterekwa” and Nyabagere neighborhoods.
On December 5, at least 26 people were killed by a landslide triggered by heavy rains in northwestern Burundi.
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