NTAHANGWA, April 1 (ABP) – The Burundian President, Evariste Ndayishimiye, called on men to stop complaining about their wives, instead urging them to respect and listen to them as full partners within the household.
He made these remarks on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the CNDD-FDD party national headquarters, during an interfaith thanksgiving prayer organized every last Thursday of the month by this ruling party.
The theme chosen for this month was: “Umukenyezi yubaha Imana n’umugisha ku rugo be n’igihugu vyiwe” (a woman who fears God is a blessing for the household and for her country), with the biblical reference from Proverbs 31:10–31.
In his teaching focused on the role of women in the household, President Ndayishimiye emphasized the complementarity between men and women, stating that one cannot thrive without the other. He insisted on the need for husbands to collaborate with their wives in building the household.
Ndayishimiye also revisited the role of both parents in the education of children.
He stated that they act as “ministers of education” within their households. Drawing on the Holy Scriptures, particularly the book of Ezekiel (chapter 3:17–21), he urged men to listen to their wives and recognize their complementarity.
He finally invited men and women to come together to jointly plan development projects, while reminding that a good leader is one who remains focused on their objectives.
For his part, the Franciscan layman Léopold Fiston Gacuririzi, in his teachings, explained that a woman who fears God is a light and a blessing for society and for the country. According to him, she actively contributes to development and to the realization of the future vision.
He described the qualities of a virtuous woman, specifying that these are not physical criteria but moral and spiritual values. Such a woman, he stressed, obeys God, strengthens family unity, prevents conflicts, and teaches prayer to children. She also maintains peaceful relationships with those around her.
Gacuririzi added that a pious woman supports her husband and that her prayers strengthen family stability. Being hardworking, she protects her family, participates in the household economy, contributes to the education of children, and to the development of the country. The children she raises become, according to him, role models for society.
He also emphasized that the education of a child engages the responsibility of the parents. According to him, in cases of bad behavior, the mother is often blamed.
“When a household is poorly maintained, responsibility is often attributed to the woman, while a lack of household development is blamed on the man,” he stated.
Among the characteristics of a woman who fears God, he cited wisdom, humility, honesty, and good resource management. Dignity, reliability, vigilance in managing the household, and the ability to live from the fruits of her labor are also among these characteristics.