BURURI, October 17th (ABP) – On Friday, October 11, 2024, spokespersons for public institutions answered questions from the people in a public broadcast held in the headquarters of Bururi province.
The question related to the recent upward revision by SOSUMO of the price of sugar, which rose from 3,500 Fbu to 8,000 BIF, was raised during the broadcast.
The spokesperson for the President of the Republic, Rosine Guilène Gatoni, indicated that that question would be examined by a commission set up by the Ministry of Trade. She reassured the people that the price will be affordable once the commission has analyzed the issue.
Concerning the shortage of fuel oil, government spokesman Jérôme Niyonzima said that some ill-intentioned people wanted to create a shortage. Niyonzima announced that the same strategies taken to make petrol available would also be taken to ensure the availability of fuel oil. The government spokesman reassured the audience that fuel oil would be available on the domestic market within a few days.
Commenting on the plight of populations affected by climate change, Niyonzima noted that the Burundian government had decided to relocate them.
In the health sector, the monkeypox disease was mentioned. The spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, Polycarpe Ndayikeza, took stock of the situation. A total of 1,093 cases have been diagnosed in 41 of the country’s 49 health districts. According to Ndayikeza, 589 of the 1,093 people who tested positive for monkeypox were cured after treatment.
On the subject of justice, one of the questions raised was why some prisoners who have already served their sentences are still languishing in prison. Supreme Court spokeswoman Agnès Bangiricenge indicated that commissions had been set up to look into such cases, adding that they would be released gradually.
With regard to public security, the question was raised as to what the government intends to do to eradicate the trafficking and deportation of minors to Tanzania. Pierre Nkurikiye, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Security, replied that human trafficking is punishable under Burundian law. Once the perpetrators have been apprehended, they are brought to justice, and the children are returned to their families,” he added.
He was asked if the speeding control equipment was faulty. Since it is currently no longer visible on transport routes. The spokesman for the Ministry of Public Safety replied that the equipment was in good condition and working properly.
With legislative and local elections approaching, Nkurikiye advised members of the various political parties to respect each other, avoid clashes and show restraint in political conflicts.
With regard to the agricultural sector, he asked what was planned at a time when quantities of PAN 53 hybrid maize seed are insufficient, despite strong domestic demand. The spokesman for the Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, Clément Ndikumasabo, indicated that the quantity ordered was not sufficient to meet demand, which is why 400 tons of that seed is on its way from Zambia. Ndikumasabo advised farmers to use local composite seeds, long grown in Burundi, as they too are proving productive.