RUMONGE, April 2nd (ABP) –The spokespersons of the various institutions hosted, on Friday 28 March 2025, a public broadcast in Rumonge to answer questions from journalists and the general public.
The spokesperson for the Head of State, Rosine Guilène Gatoni, delivered a message from the President of the Republic to the people. She indicated that the Head of State appreciated the agricultural production recorded during the A crop season. For him, it is a sign that Burundians have understood his call to roll up their sleeves to increase production and thus promote development.
After that message, journalists asked questions focusing on life in the country in general. With regard to the strategies planned by the State to put an end to the fuel shortage, government spokesman Jérôme Niyonzima pointed out that the country’s subsoil is rich in minerals. He added that the exploitation and management of the mining sector would be a remedy for the fuel shortage.
However, he stressed, Burundians must change their mentality by putting patriotism at the forefront of their daily activities, and above all by denouncing the cases of embezzlement and misappropriation that are taking place in the sector.
Another question concerned the amount of money already repaid after the State had opened an account into which the misappropriated funds were to be paid. On that point, the Head of State’s spokesman said that from January to the present day, a sum of 15 billion of our francs has been repaid, while pointing out that that money is being channelled directly into development projects.
The renting of homes, which has become very expensive in the latter part of the country, was also mentioned as a major concern for the people. Speaking on that issue, the government spokesman pointed out that the State intends to set up a centre to deal with that issue in the near future, because, he explained, the rental agreements for residential homes contain irregularities in that they are concluded between just two parties, without witnesses.
In the health sector, the lack of medicines, especially in emergency departments, and the abolition of free care for children under five and pregnant women in certain public hospitals have been reported as challenges in that sector. In response to that question, the deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health denied all such reports, pointing out that the shortage of medicines in emergency departments may be due to “carelessness” on the part of emergency department staff.
Concerning certain hospitals that no longer apply the free care measure for children under the age of five and pregnant women, the deputy spokesman for the ministry responsible for public health said that such cases needed to be investigated, while inviting anyone to help so that those hospitals, if they exist, can be easily identified.