By Samuel Mbonimpa Although Burundi is struggling with economic hurdles, including fuel shortages and other difficulties, artists, especially singers, disagree on the profitability of the entertainment industry. While some cite a lack of unity, limited government support, and restrictive laws as key obstacles to their financial stability, Vichou Love, a well-known figure in live music…
By Avit Ndayiziga In our recent article discussing Burundi’s fuel shortage, we questioned whether SOPEBU (Société Pétrolière du Burundi) might be the solution to this long-standing issue. This debate was addressed on Radio Bonesha on November 23, 2024, by Gabriel Rufyiri, president of OLUCOME, an Anti-Corruption and Economic Malpractice Observatory. Rufyiri argued that “SOPEBU is…
By Avit Ndayiziga On Thursday, October 24, 2024, at the Hemicycle of Kigobe, Prime Minister Gervais NDIRAKOBUCA presented a biannual report before both Chambers of the Parliament of Burundi, convened in Congress as per Article 168, Paragraph 4 of the Constitution. The report highlighted the annual work plan and budget (PTBA) implementation for the second…
By Avit Ndayiziga The ongoing capital flight from African nations has worsened external debt burdens, destabilizing the continent’s fragile economies and driving millions deeper into poverty. Professor Léonce Ndikumana calls for strategic reforms and investment incentives to stabilize these economies and foster sustainable development. The distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts highlighted…
By Avit Ndayiziga Despite the 2024-2025 state budget surging to BIF 4,626.0 billion, exceeding last year’s BIF 3,923.1 billion, it shows a budget deficit of BIF 449.6 billion as expenditures hit BIF 5,075.6 billion, outpacing available resources. Economists and activists caution that the budget will satisfy public servants while stifling economic growth. Every year on…
BY Avit Ndayiziga As the fuel shortage crisis in Burundi persists, top officials are at odds over its root causes. Is the lack of foreign currency truly to blame, or is corruption and the devil at play? Could sabotage be a factor? The looming question remains: will SOPEBU be the solution to this pressing issue?…
By Avit Ndayiziga Plagued by a score of 20 out of 100 on the 2023 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), Burundi ranks among the world’s top 20 corruption hotspots. This pervasive corruption, according to the anti-corruption watchdog organization (OLUCOME) and international organizations, has crippled economic growth and entrenched poverty, solidifying Burundi’s position as the poorest nation…
BY Avit Ndayiziga Amidst the deteriorating economic situation in Burundi, public debt surged to BIF 6,150.8 billion in 2023 from BIF 5,187.4 billion in 2022, compounding the challenges. Economists attribute this escalation to the rise in state expenditures. Burundi’s economy continues to decline as public debt steadily accumulates. As per the November 2023 Report of…
By Avit Ndayiziga Gad Niyomukunzi is a resident of Burundi’s capital, where he turns the plastics choking local rivers into beautiful decorations – and employs 30 full-time workers to help him. It was the fishermen who finally pushed Gad Niyomukunzi to act. He had been noticing the build-up of plastic bottles in streams in the…
By Avit Ndayiziga Traders and consumers in Bujumbura, the economic city of Burundi, are swallowing a bitter pill of price hikes in everything from food to fuel as the government strives to meet its budgetary targets through heavy tax collection. Shumi, a street hawker, relies on daily earnings to sustain his wife and two daughters….
