Panorama
In Burundi, violence against fellows of the church founded by Eusébie Ngendakumana has resurfaced with alarming intensity. On the night of Saturday, August 30, 2025, ten recently repatriated worshippers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were brutally tortured during a nighttime raid in Buhumuza Province. One of them later succumbed to his injuries.
The operation, which targeted the homes of Ngendakumana’s fellows, was carried out by members of the Imbonerakure militia youth affiliated with the ruling CNDD-FDD party accompanied by police officers. According to several local sources, the incident once again highlights the fragility of the security guarantees offered by authorities to returning refugees.
Repatriated refugees but poorly welcomed
The victims were among a group of 275 Burundian refugees who had returned in late July from the Lusenda and Mulongwe camps in the DRC, following government campaigns urging citizens in exile to “come back and rebuild the nation.”
Yet for some, return has turned into a nightmare. According to testimonies, the ten followers had barely begun to rebuild their lives when they were arrested, beaten, and humiliated. “They are accused solely of belonging to the church of Eusébie Ngendakumana,” reported one local source under condition of anonymity.
A religious community under constant surveillance
For years, the church founded by Ngendakumana herself still living in exile has been targeted by the Burundian authorities. Her followers inside the country face relentless persecution: arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, and detentions are frequently reported across several provinces.
Many have chosen exile once again, fleeing for their lives. “It has become an open hunt we are chased simply because of our faith,” said a former follower now living in a neighboring country.
Human rights defenders denounce what they describe as blatant violations of fundamental rights. They argue that these citizens should be protected by the state instead of being systematically harassed, abused, or even killed.
The haunting precedent of Businde
This recent tragedy revives the painful memory of the Businde massacre of March 12, 2013, when dozens of Ngendakumana’s worshippers were killed during a joint police and army operation in Businde, then part of Kayanza province. Eyewitnesses recounted how unarmed followers gathered in prayer were executed at point-blank range, while others were beaten to death.
Among those accused of directing the repression was Colonel Bosco Havyarimana, nicknamed Businde, who was cited by several witnesses at the time. His name has once again emerged in connection with recent acts of torture.
Official justifications and lasting impunity
In the aftermath of Businde, the government dispatched senior officials to defend the security forces’ actions. Then-Minister of Interior Édouard Nduwimana publicly justified the killings as a “law enforcement operation” against what he labeled an “illegal religious sect.”
This stance sparked outrage among victims’ families and human rights organizations, who saw it as an attempt to legitimize extrajudicial executions. No independent investigation was ever launched, and no officials were held accountable.
Fear as a way of life
Twelve years on, followers who remain in Burundi continue to live in constant fear. Night raids, threats from the Imbonerakure, and arbitrary arrests are part of their daily reality. Several families report losing all trace of relatives arrested by police. Others have gone into hiding or fled the country again.
These abuses highlight the stark contrast between the government’s official discourse on national reconciliation and the lived reality of communities perceived as dissident.
An open wound: Businde’s trauma
The Businde massacre of March 12, 2013, remains a tragic turning point in the history of Ngendakumana’s followers. The killings, the brutality of security forces, and the absence of justice continue to fuel fear and mistrust among the community.
For many, the violence of today is simply the continuation of a cycle of repression that began twelve years ago—sustained by impunity and silence imposed on the victims. Until the truth about Businde is officially acknowledged and accountability ensured, they warn, followers of Eusébie Ngendakumana will remain under the permanent threat of new persecutions.
