Landslides Threaten Urban Areas Across Burundi During Rainy Season

Public infrastructure and residential homes in several cities, including Burundi’s economic capital, Bujumbura, and its political capital, Gitega, are under threat from landslides during the ongoing rainy season. Residents are pleading for immediate intervention as authorities propose stabilization measures or relocation for affected populations.

In Kanyosha, a southern district of Bujumbura, the situation is particularly alarming. In the Gisyo neighborhood, residents report living in constant fear as expanding gullies encroach on their homes and other infrastructure, according to local media reports.

“No one sleeps at night, especially when it rains. We’re terrified the house will collapse at any moment. We have nowhere else to shelter our children,” said a resident whose home is just two meters from an advancing ravine. Despite efforts by local authorities and the community to stabilize the ravines by planting bamboo, these measures have so far proven ineffective.

In the northern neighborhood of Mugoboka, the situation is equally dire, with several households forced to relocate due to the growing danger.

The landslide problem extends beyond Bujumbura. In Gitega central province, neighborhoods built on unregulated sites face similar risks. Areas such as Mushasha and Shatanya are particularly vulnerable, especially along Monseigneur Joachim Ruhuna Avenue. Similar threats have been reported on Avenue Mutualité in Rango neighborhood, where ravines are nearing residential fences.

As affected residents appeal for swift action, Gitega’s Permanent Executive Secretary, Pierre Claver Harushimana, said last week that the administration is identifying at-risk areas. “We plan to implement provisional measures to limit damage while awaiting sufficient resources to stabilize the ravines,” Harushimana said, according to local radio Indundi Culture.

The southern province of Rumonge has also suffered significant damage. Earlier this year, landslides destroyed buildings housing the Kirasa hydroelectric plants in Muhuta commune, along with private residences. The Muhuta communal administration confirmed one death and four injuries due to landslides in Gabaniro. Hundreds of homes were destroyed.

Disaster victims, numbering over 2,480 households, are in dire need of assistance. They are currently being housed at the Gitaza Vocational Training Center, located approximately 50 meters from Lake Tanganyika, according to local media reports.