Burundi SNR: Bujumbura Banyamulenge Leaders SNR Arrests Expand

• On September 17, 2026, Burundi's National Intelligence Service (SNR) arrested Jacqueline Nyiramasoso and Merci, family members of Pastor Jalos Nkunda Kilaya, during a home search in Bujumbura.
• Pastor Jalos Nkunda Kilaya was initially detained on September 8 at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport while attempting to fly to Rwanda.
• SNR agents sought Jacqueline Nyiramasoso's phone after failing to unlock Pastor Kilaya's European-purchased device, detaining her and Merci at intelligence headquarters.
• Other Banyamulenge religious leaders, including Pastor Gédéon Nzayitegaho and Pastor Mark Ntayoberwa, have also been arrested and are held in SNR headquarters cells.
• These arrests occur amidst heightened regional tensions and a lack of official disclosure regarding the specific charges or reasons for detention, raising human rights concerns.

These operational details, including the phone searches, have not been publicly disclosed by Burundian authorities, raising significant concerns about due process and transparency.

Burundi's capital, Bujumbura, has seen an escalation in detentions targeting the Banyamulenge community, with the National Intelligence Service (SNR) expanding its operations to include family members of prominent religious figures. On September 17, 2026, SNR agents arrested Jacqueline Nyiramasoso, the wife of Pastor Jalos Nkunda Kilaya, along with Merci, a young student and family member, during a search of their home. These arrests, reported by SOS Médias Burundi, signify a broadening scope of intelligence activities following earlier detentions within the community.

Pastor Jalos Nkunda Kilaya himself was initially apprehended on September 8 at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport in Bujumbura as he prepared to board a flight bound for Rwanda. His arrest was reportedly overseen by Police Brigadier General Domitien Niyonkuru, who serves as the head of domestic intelligence within the SNR. Local sources also indicated, though without independent verification, that Pastor Kilaya possessed a Rwandan passport. He leads the Evangelical Church in the Great Lakes Region (EEPGL), a religious community established over two decades ago by Banyamulenge refugees in Burundi.

These developments unfold against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions, notably the ongoing crisis between Burundi and Rwanda, and the protracted conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The targeting of Banyamulenge leaders and their families by the Burundi National Intelligence Service Banyamulenge operations suggests a concerning intersection of domestic security concerns and regional geopolitical dynamics, raising questions about the motivations behind these Bujumbura Banyamulenge leaders SNR arrests.

Following Pastor Jalos Nkunda Kilaya's initial detention at the airport, intelligence agents proceeded to his residence to conduct a search. The primary objective of this operation was to locate the mobile phone belonging to his wife, Jacqueline Nyiramasoso. Although another device was initially presented to the agents, they determined it was not the specific phone they were seeking. Subsequently, Jacqueline Nyiramasoso and Merci were taken into custody and transported to the intelligence headquarters.

Information gathered by SOS Médias Burundi and corroborated by Burundian activist Pacifique Nininahazwe indicates that authorities decided to seize Jacqueline's phone after encountering difficulties unlocking Pastor Kilaya's device. His phone, reportedly purchased in a European country, proved inaccessible to Burundian authorities, though the precise technical reasons for this inability remain undisclosed. These operational details, including the phone searches, have not been publicly disclosed by Burundian authorities, raising significant concerns about due process and transparency in the intelligence service's actions.

The pursuit of digital information and the subsequent detention of family members underscore the intrusive nature of these intelligence operations. The lack of official statements regarding the specific charges or legal basis for these actions against Jacqueline Nyiramasoso Burundi SNR operations further exacerbates concerns about arbitrary detention and the rule of law in Burundi.

The detentions extend beyond Pastor Jalos Nkunda Kilaya and his family, encompassing other religious leaders within the Banyamulenge community. Pastor Gédéon Nzayitegaho, for instance, was arrested on September 10 at his Carmel church, located in the Mutakura neighborhood north of Bujumbura. He was subsequently transferred to the SNR headquarters, the same facility where other individuals involved in this case are reportedly held. The official circumstances and reasons for Pastor Nzayitegaho's arrest have not been released, contributing to the opacity surrounding these detentions.

Among others recently apprehended are Pastor Mark Ntayoberwa, who leads the Cornerstone church, and Murama Gatonzi. In Murama Gatonzi's case, local reports have suggested that his immigration documents were considered irregular, although this claim has not been publicly confirmed by any judicial authority. All arrested individuals are reportedly held in cells established at the SNR headquarters, a facility situated near Regina Mundi Cathedral in downtown Bujumbura, highlighting the centralized nature of these Bujumbura religious leaders detention operations.

Pastor Mark Ntayoberwa's situation is particularly sensitive given the regional context; his Cornerstone church also maintains a presence in Goma, the capital of North Kivu and a major city in eastern DRC. Goma fell under the control of the AFC-M23 movement in January 2015, with Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, seized by the same movement in February of that year. The United Nations has documented these takeovers and the subsequent establishment of parallel administrations, underscoring the complex regional dynamics that may be influencing the treatment of the Banyamulenge community in Burundi.

This development signals a deteriorating human rights and rule of law environment in Burundi, particularly concerning arbitrary detention and due process for specific communities. Lawyers should advise clients with operations or personnel in Burundi on heightened political risks and the potential for arbitrary arrests and property seizures by state intelligence services.

Source: Original reporting via SOS Médias Burundi