Makamba: Mutilated Bodies Spark Fear, Prompt Investigation Calls

Makamba, August 30, 2026—The discovery of a second body bearing signs of violence near Saint Joseph Parish in less than two months has reignited concerns in the Kayogoro zone. A man was found dead early Thursday morning in the Mushasha neighborhood of Kayogoro, Makamba district, Burunga province, in southern Burundi. His body, discovered in a tree plantation belonging to the Saint Joseph Catholic Parish, showed particularly disturbing signs of violence. According to witnesses at the scene, the victim had a head wound and his genitals were bound with rope. A body discovered in a parish plantation Initial reports from the scene indicate that the body was spotted early in the morning by passersby. The victim, a man from the Dunga zone in the Makamba district, was found lying in a tree plantation belonging to the Saint Joseph parish in Mushasha. People who went to the scene reported seeing a head injury, suggesting the man had been violently struck with an object. A rope was also reportedly tied to his genitals. Another detail puzzles residents : no significant amount of blood was observed where the body was found. Several witnesses believe this absence of blood could suggest the victim was killed elsewhere before his body was moved and left in the plantation. This hypothesis will need to be confirmed or refuted by the investigation. A second body found in similar circumstances This discovery is more concerning as it is the second body found near the Saint Joseph Catholic parish in Mushasha in less than two months. According to residents living near the parish, both victims had genital mutilations. This similarity has raised many questions and fueled fear among the population. “We don’t understand what’s happening. Two bodies found almost in the same place in such a short time, with similar mutilations, it’s frightening,” some residents confided, speaking on condition of anonymity. Kayogoro, an area already marked by violence This new discovery comes amid an already worrying security situation in the Kayogoro zone, Makamba district, Burunga province. During a security meeting held last July, the Makamba district administrator, Prosper Bizimana, reported several homicides in the region. He indicated that two people had been killed after being released by the courts. These incidents had already raised concerns about the ability of local authorities to stem a series of persistent acts of violence in certain areas of the district. Local officials implicated in some accusations The situation is more sensitive given that, in some recent cases, local officials have been implicated in accusations related to violence. In Nyentakara village, for example, a man was killed by youths affiliated with the Imbonerakure, the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD, the ruling party. According to reports from residents, the alleged perpetrators later claimed to have acted on the orders of a local official. These accusations, which require thorough investigations to establish individual responsibility, have reinforced the climate of mistrust among a segment of the population. A population in shock In Mushasha, as in other localities in the Kayogoro zone, the discovery of this latest body has reignited fear. The repeated crimes, the particularly violent circumstances in which some victims are found, and the similarities observed between several cases are prompting residents to demand serious and thorough investigations. Beyond identifying the perpetrators of this latest crime, the population primarily expects the judicial and administrative authorities to provide answers regarding this series of violent incidents that are devastating the region. The province of Burunga is also among the regions of Burundi regularly cited in reports by human rights organizations for the high number of reported cases of violence, murders, and deaths. These organizations are calling on the authorities to strengthen investigations, establish responsibility, and combat impunity.