BUJUMBURA, December 31st (ABP) – The President of the Republic, Evariste Ndayishimiye, surrounded by members of Burundi’s government, hosted a public broadcast that Friday, December 27, 2024 in Bujumbura, during which he exchanged views with journalists and the people, as witnessed on site.
In his opening speech, the President of the Republic wished all Burundians a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2025. He said that every Burundian must contribute to the country’s development, and that 2025 would be a year of change in all sectors of national life, so that the economy would prosper.
As for the economic sector, a number of questions and suggestions were raised, including the fuel shortage. On that subject, President Ndayishimiye pointed out that the fuel shortage in Burundi is an issue that affects everyone, and is linked to the fuel management policy that has never existed. “It’s a battle without weapons or uniforms, because the saboteurs are among us”, he said, adding that in that period of fuel shortage in Burundi, the company SOPEBU was recently created to alleviate that problem.
On that occasion, a representative of a Congolese company supplying fuel in South Africa, Blaise Ibonime, submitted his offer to supply fuel to Burundi. The Minister of Energy and Mines, Ibrahim Uwizeye, stated that the matter was being handled, but that discussions had not yet reached a conclusion.
Referring to the current economic situation, against a backdrop of corruption, Gabriel Rufyiri, President of the Observatory for the fight against corruption and economic malpractice (OLUCOME), said, with reference to article 69 of the national constitution, that the fight for sustainable development is everyone’s business without exception, while calling for strict respect for public property and the law.
The Head of State indicated that a good leader worthy of the name should not leave his office without having completed the processing of the dossiers before him. He warned those who leave their offices to go to bistros during working hours. “Those who are apprehended will be dismissed,” he warned.
Furthermore, he continued, the year 2025 will be marked by numerous visits to administrative staff to verify their commitment to the service.
On the subject of mining, the Burundian president pointed out that the companies that had won contracts in the past had contributed little to the country’s treasury. He promised that from now on, new strategies would be put in place so that Burundians could benefit.
In the judicial sector, the president of Ntabariza, Jean Marie Nshimirimana, raised the issue of illegal detentions across the country, which are swelling the prison population, while denouncing certain shenanigans by certain court and tribunal officials based on bribes.
The President of the Republic indicated that a presidential commission had been set up to ensure that all those on the list of prisoners who had benefited from a presidential pardon had been released.
During the dialogue, Rukoza Marie Rose, a businesswoman, denounced the “injustice” she had suffered, going so far as to destroy her building site in Bujumbura town hall. In response to that dispute, the Head of State instructed the Ministers of the Interior, Justice and Infrastructure to carry out on-site inspections and report back to him as soon as possible.
The President of the Republic also congratulated representatives of religious denominations on their commitment to income-generating activities. He encouraged them to continue in that direction, while remaining active in the fight against poverty.
To close that public broadcast, the Head of State took the opportunity to call on all Burundians to be courageous and change their behaviour for the year 2025.