CIBITOKE, January 22nd (ABP) – The governor of Cibitoke province, Carême Bizoza, in the company of members of the joint security committee, began on Monday, January 20, 2025, a series of trips to the eight villages of Mabayi commune overlooking the natural forest of Kibira, on the Burundian-Rwandan border.
The trips aim to meet the inhabitants of those villages to explain to them and warn them against the supply of fighters of the Rwandan rebel group called FLN. The governor of Cibitoke province indicated that he has information that the FLN rebels, based in the forest, are fed daily by some inhabitants of the Mabayi commune, certainly among the eight villages bordering Kibira. These are the Rutorero, Gafumbegeti, Nyagaseke, Mukoma, Kibande, Gitukura, Gasebeyi and Ruhororo villages. The suppliers of food and drinks to the FLN rebel group do so for more money than the local market prices.
What worries the administrative authority of Cibitoke is the persistence of this practice, despite so many meetings organized to raise awareness against this clandestine supply. That is the reason that mobilized the members of the joint security committee of the Cibitoke province, to speak with the grassroots administrative officials and their led, with a view to establishing concerted strategies to eradicate forever the supply of the FLN from the Mabayi commune.
To achieve this, any collaboration with the enemy from the FLN group must cease immediately, while any person who will be caught coming from the forest, apart from those who supply food to the FDNB soldiers on the Burundian-Rwandan common border, will be apprehended, Bizoza said.
All activities of exploitation of gold ores, search for climbing bean’s supporting sticks, hunting, and others, are now prohibited in the forest of Kibira from January 20, 2025. The inhabitants of those villages were called upon to denounce anyone who continues to supply the members of the rebel group installed in the forest.
Governor Bizoza urged the grassroots administrative officials to take the lead in bringing the recalcitrant to justice. As for some grassroots administrative officials and some inhabitants, they were worried about the flagrant cases of some alleged people brought to justice, and who are immediately released, which is a threat to them.