Burundi: Matana Mass Arrests Security Operation Targets Ex-Officials

• A mass arrest security operation began on September 27, 2026, in Matana, Burunga province, overseen by high-ranking Burundi National Police officials.
• Police Brigadier General Emmanuel Ndayiziga and Police Colonel Arthémon Nzitabakuze are monitoring the operation, which targets former security personnel, administrative officials, and individuals linked to 2015 protests.
• Detainees are held at Matana and Mugamba police stations, with no public charges or official lists of wanted individuals disclosed, and some have not been presented before a judicial police officer.
• The operation is reportedly driven by suspicions of rebel infiltration, though independent verification of armed men in the area is unavailable.
• The involvement of Imbonerakure members and the lack of due process raise significant concerns about human rights and the rule of law in Burundi.

The absence of publicly disclosed charges or an official list of wanted individuals, coupled with the failure to present some detainees before a judicial police officer, highlights significant concerns regarding arbitrary detention and due process.

A large-scale security operation, characterized by mass arrests, commenced on September 27, 2026, in several villages surrounding Matana in Burundi's southern Burunga province. This ongoing operation, which was still active as of October 5, 2026, is being closely monitored by high-ranking officials from the Burundi National Police (PNB), including Police Brigadier General Emmanuel Ndayiziga, the Deputy Inspector General, and Police Colonel Arthémon Nzitabakuze, who heads the intelligence service within the General Inspectorate of Police. Both officials reportedly visited Matana and Bururi in the week prior to October 5.

The arrests have spanned multiple former villages within the Mugamba district, such as Tora, Kibezi, Kivumu-Gakaranka, and Nyagasasa, with subsequent detentions reported in Muyange-Kavumu and the town of Mwumba. Among those apprehended are former soldiers, gendarmes, and police officers, alongside individuals previously known to security services or who had been detained in the past. Local administrative officials have also been targeted, with reports of a former village chief fleeing his home and the arrest of a village official and a local representative of the Imbonerakure, the ruling party's youth wing. Charles Bondo, the provincial commissioner of the Internal Security Police (PSI) in Burunga, has been actively involved, conducting arrests and interrogating detainees. Many residents have reportedly fled the area out of fear of being arrested, while some individuals who were released have since faced threats from Imbonerakure members.

The operation is reportedly driven by suspicions of infiltration by individuals described as rebels, with local sources indicating the presence of armed men in the area, some allegedly wearing CNDD-FDD T-shirts to avoid detection. Certain administrative officials and Imbonerakure members are suspected of facilitating the movement and housing of these alleged rebels. Detainees are currently being held at the Matana district police station and the Mugamba police station, though their exact number remains unconfirmed.

A significant concern surrounding the Matana Burundi mass arrests security operation is the profound lack of transparency and adherence to due process. Prior to the commencement of the operations, names were reportedly compiled or transmitted from the General Inspectorate of Police in Bujumbura, yet no official list of wanted individuals or the criteria used for their identification has been made public. Furthermore, the Burundi National Police (PNB) has refrained from officially commenting on the precise roles of Police Brigadier General Emmanuel Ndayiziga and Police Colonel Arthémon Nzitabakuze in these arrests, despite their close monitoring and visits to the affected areas.

The arbitrary nature of the detentions is underscored by the fact that families of those arrested are unaware of the specific charges against their loved ones. Crucially, some detainees, even after being questioned by Charles Bondo, have not yet been brought before a judicial police officer, a fundamental requirement for legal detention. While some of those targeted were reportedly involved in the 2015 protests against the controversial third term of the late President Pierre Nkurunziza or had ties to former security forces, these past associations do not officially establish the reason for their current arrests, further highlighting the absence of clear legal grounds for the detentions.

The Matana security operation raises serious concerns regarding Burundi human rights violations and the heightened risk of arbitrary detention within the Burunga province. The involvement of the Imbonerakure youth wing, both in assisting with arrests and subsequently threatening released individuals, points to a troubling pattern of non-state actors participating in security functions, which can exacerbate human rights abuses and undermine the rule of law. The lack of public charges, the absence of official lists of wanted persons, and the failure to present detainees before judicial officers collectively indicate a significant erosion of legal protections.

This situation creates a climate of fear, compelling residents to flee their homes to avoid potential arrest, regardless of their involvement in any alleged activities. The targeting of former security personnel or individuals associated with past political events, even without established official reasons, suggests a broader pattern of suppression. The inability of independent media, such as SOS Médias Burundi, to independently verify the presence or movements of alleged armed men in the area further complicates the narrative and underscores the challenges in obtaining accurate information amidst such security operations. The collective circumstances highlight a critical rule of law concern that could impact individuals and businesses operating in the region.

Lawyers advising clients or monitoring human rights in Burundi should be aware of the heightened risk of arbitrary detention and lack of due process in security operations, particularly in areas like Matana. The involvement of high-ranking police officials and the absence of public charges or official lists of wanted individuals indicate a significant rule of law concern that could impact individuals and businesses operating in the region.

Source: Original reporting via SOS Médias Burundi