GITEGA, March 11 (ABP) – The ministry of public service and social security launched, from Tuesday March 10, 2026 in Gitega (the political capital and center of Burundi), a retreat for the revision of Law No. 1/03 of February 8, 2023 amending Law No. 1/28 of August 23, 2006 on the general statute of civil servants, in order to adapt it to the current administrative reform in the context of decentralization and deconcentration, a check on site by ABP has learned.
For ten days, from March 10 to 19, 2026, experts from different ministries as well as representatives of civil servants are analyzing this text in depth in order to adapt it to the administrative reforms currently underway in the country.
The assistant to the minister of public service and social security, Ms. Emérencienne Tabu, who attended this retreat, stated that the revision of this statute is part of administrative and institutional reforms aimed at aligning with the decentralization policy in the modernization of the management of the State’s human resources, while strengthening deconcentration and decentralization for a more efficient public service that is closer to citizens. “This retreat aims to harmonize the legislation in force with the new administrative realities resulting from the decentralization policy and the bringing of public services closer to citizens. It will therefore enable participants to thoroughly examine all the provisions of the law in order to make the necessary adjustments,” she indicated.
Ms. Tabu recalled that several changes have taken place in the organization of the territorial administration, particularly at the level of provinces, communes and zones, which requires an adaptation of the legal framework governing state civil servants. Hence, it is essential to adapt the structures, the legal framework, coordination mechanisms, and human and material resources to the broad process of administrative reforms focused on deconcentration and decentralization, aimed at improving administration for citizens, strengthening local governance and improving the efficiency of public services.
“Important reforms have been carried out in the administrative organization of our country, particularly at the level of communes and provinces. It is therefore essential that the law governing civil servants align with these new realities in order to facilitate the organization of work in the public administration,” she emphasized. She also noted that some civil servants currently perform their duties in administrative structures that were not provided for by the law in force, which can sometimes create difficulties in personnel management. “Today, we have civil servants who work at the level of zones and communes, whereas the current law does not explicitly provide for these levels of assignment. This leads to challenges in human resources management and in the organization of work within the administration,” she explained.
Note that the discussions will notably focus on personnel management mechanisms, working conditions, as well as the adaptation of the civil servants’ statute to the new administrative structures.