Civil society organizations and governance experts are warning that corruption in Burundi has reached alarming levels, despite repeated government pledges to stamp it out.
Gabriel Rufyiri, president of OLUCOME—a leading local anti-corruption watchdog—said on Wednesday during a joint media broadcast that efforts to combat corruption appear to have stalled.
“We believe the fight against corruption has been abandoned,” Rufyiri said. “We were already worried when the current president removed the ministry responsible for good governance. We used to call it a ‘paper tiger’ due to its limited effectiveness, but it was still necessary to have it.”
According to Rufyiri, corruption in Burundi operates like an entrenched network of “gangsters,” making it extremely difficult to tackle.
“Although Burundi ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, corruption here is as strong as gangsters—people in suits and luxury cars who act like bandits. These are the people who hold power in our country,” he said.
University professor and economist Diomède Ninteretse painted an equally bleak picture, citing alarming figures from international reports.
“Corruption is a reality in Burundi,” Ninteretse said. “Transparency International’s 2022 report shows a perception level of 68%, and the World Bank ranks Burundi among the 162 most corruption-affected countries.”
He pointed to systemic issues, including opaque public procurement processes and widespread bribery within the judiciary, which he said are keeping Burundi behind on good governance.
Opposition voices have also been outspoken. Francis Rohero, president of the FPI party, said corruption has infiltrated nearly all sectors of society.
“Corruption here has reached its worst level,” Rohero said. “In almost every service, people must pay bribes. It is becoming a habit, even a culture among some Burundians.”
Rohero criticized the lack of progress since 2020, despite the creation of an anti-corruption brigade in 2007 and public commitments from the president to tackle graft.
Ninteretse warned that corruption risks becoming deeply rooted in Burundian culture, fueled by weak institutions and ineffective laws.
While civil society and political leaders are voicing frustration, President Evariste Ndayishimiye himself admitted that corruption has reached “the most deplorable level.” Speaking during the opening of Diaspora Week earlier this week, the president acknowledged that even high-ranking officials solicit bribes from Burundians abroad who want to invest back home.
“Corruption is truly close to my heart,” Ndayishimiye said. “Imagine, someone came to me saying they were asked for a bribe. They didn’t have the money, so I gave it to them to catch the person in the act. A state judge was caught taking a bribe of just fifty thousand Burundian francs. He was fired, jailed, and later pardoned. Even my own advisor was imprisoned for corruption. This is the level we’ve reached.”
The president announced plans to establish a National Anti-Corruption Agency that will include members from the diaspora and state institutions. However, both Rufyiri of OLUCOME and Rohero of the FPI stressed that only individuals with unquestionable integrity should be appointed if the agency is to be effective.
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