Members of Burundi’s largest opposition political party the CNL are living in panic as secret service begins plucking them from their homes and never to be seen again.
Those being arrested include members of the CNL loyal to Agathon Rwasa the former party leader recently dethroned at an extraordinary party congress on March 10.
Jacqueline Uwizeyimana, nicknamed Hafsa, until now responsible for the CNL party in the new constituency of Buhumuza and Agnès Nibirantije, president of the inyankamugayo women of the province of Kayanza have not been found for several days.
According to a source from the Rwasa camp, these women were arrested on March 13 and 10, 2024 respectively. Originally from Musave hill in the Kayanza commune and province, Agnès Nibirantije was arrested at the Ngozi market.
“She was going, with other pro-Rwasa activists, to Ngozi where an “extraordinary congress” of the Cnl party convened by Rwasa’s dissidents was held, that Agnès and her colleagues were intercepted,” according to a source quoted by local press.
According to another source in Ngozi, Nibirantije and her friends were arrested at the Ngozi market and taken to the judicial police. “But Nibirantije was transported alone to another place in a vehicle belonging to Espérance Kayitesi, a judicial police officer from Ngozi.”
Relatives of her family contacted say they do not understand how this “innocent” woman remains untraceable when these co-defendants have been released. “We had sources that Nibirantije is incarcerated at the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service (SNR) in Bujumbura, but we have just been told that she is no longer there.”
“A teacher at Ecofo Rubenga in the Mugano zone in the commune of Giteranyi in the province of Muyinga, Jacqueline Uwizeyimana was arrested around 1 p.m. when she was returning from work. “, says a source close to his family.
This source indicates that when she left work, she saw behind her a white Toyota Hilux double-cab pick-up with tinted windows. She then alerted certain members of her family and party colleagues.
According to witnesses, this vehicle is known throughout the province. It belongs to police colonel Félix Havyarimana, head of the SNR in Muyinga province. “It was he himself who went out to pick up Ms. Jacqueline.” Since then, she has also remained untraceable.
Other arrests were recently reported in Rugombo commune in the province of Cibitoke and in Matongo in the province of Kayanza.
According to E.D, one of Agathon Rwasa’s followers in Rugombo, a certain Théogene Bigirimana, responsible for the young inyankamugayo of Rukana II hill, was kidnapped on Thursday March 14, 2024 around 4 p.m.
“It was SNR agents who arrested him while he was sharing a drink with his friends in a bar called “VIP” in the Rugombo center.” His relatives indicate that he would be incarcerated at the police station in Cibitoke province.
In the process, followers of Agathon Rwasa from Kayanza province denounce what they describe as a “manhunt behind Ngozi’s pseudo-congress”.
“For example, Emile Nibaruta, Cnl activist and member of the Matongo Communal Council, was arrested and mishandled by Imbonerakure on the evening of Friday, March 15, 2024 when he was returning and taken back to the Matongo dungeon even though he had been released after the “Ngozi congress”,” said a source in Matongo.
According to him, the inyankamugayo who were released after the congress while trying to access the place where the said congress was held, live in fear. “Photocopies of their identity cards were sent to their respective localities to identify them. »
These are arrests made on the basis of false accusations. “Even if the motives for these arrests are not officially communicated, we believe it is because of their loyalty to Rwasa. But, is it a sin to be faithful to the Honorable Agathon Rwasa? It is quite simply a politically motivated manhunt that is waking up. ”
Meanwhile, Inyankamugayo are demanding the release of all those arrested on the basis of their political affiliation and to leave them alone. “The country belongs to us all, we must have the same rights as children of this country.”
