Journalists were explicitly excluded from a public meeting held on Friday, May 8, 2026, in Makamba commune, Burunga province, an incident that has significantly escalated concerns about media freedom and the operating environment for reporters in the country. During the course of the event, press members who were present were directly asked to leave the room where the meeting was taking place, a move that effectively barred them from covering the proceedings. This action has drawn sharp criticism and noted the ongoing challenges faced by media professionals.
Ruling Party Events Restricted, Access Controlled
The public meeting in question was presented as a communal development meeting, an event that was publicly advertised as being open to all citizens of the commune. It was hosted by the CNDD-FDD Secretary General, Révérien Ndikuriyo, a prominent figure within the ruling party. Despite the public nature of the gathering and its stated purpose of communal development, reporters were explicitly told to vacate the room where the meeting was being held, effectively preventing independent media coverage. The decision to exclude journalists from this significant public event reportedly originated from communication officials operating within the ruling CNDD-FDD party, indicating a deliberate and coordinated effort to control information dissemination.
Further showing the selective nature of access, only three specific media outlets received authorization to cover the proceedings. These outlets were identified as being either closely affiliated with or directly controlled by the ruling party, raising questions about the impartiality and comprehensiveness of the coverage. This restricted access meant that a diverse range of journalistic perspectives was intentionally absent from the reporting of the communal development meeting.
On the very same Friday, demonstrating a consistent pattern of exclusion, journalists awaiting Révérien Ndikuriyo were again expelled from a room. This incident occurred shortly after the initial exclusion, reinforcing the perception of a systematic approach to limiting media access. In a particularly troubling development, police were reportedly called by the director of Aigle Sport FM to remove the reporters from the premises, illustrating the lengths to which authorities or affiliated entities are willing to go to prevent independent reporting. The alleged involvement of law enforcement in removing journalists from a public space has further intensified worries regarding press freedom and the safety of reporters.
Pattern of Exclusion and Violence Continues
The following day, journalists faced yet another instance of exclusion, this time from a ceremony held at a stadium. This particular event concerned a partnership involving the Pax Burundi foundation and a Vietnamese-managed telecom company, a matter of public interest. This incident followed a series of restrictions on media access that have become increasingly common. During Révérien Ndikuriyo's recent tour across various provinces and communes, all journalists operating outside his officially sanctioned team were consistently denied access to his meetings. This measure extended even to reporters from public media outlets, which are often perceived as having a degree of state affiliation, noting the broad scope of the access restrictions.
The ongoing pattern of restricting journalists' access to public events and official proceedings has also included more severe instances, notably involving physical violence. Audrique Niyuhire, a journalist who collaborates for both Aigle Sport FM and Isoko FM, was subjected to a beating by police officers at the end of 2025. This violent act against a working journalist sent a chilling message to the media community. Despite initial promises from authorities of a thorough investigation into the incident and subsequent sanctions against those responsible, the case concerning Audrique Niyuhire was reportedly closed without any follow-up actions being taken. This lack of accountability for an act of violence against a journalist further exacerbates concerns about the safety and protection of media professionals in Burundi.
International Context and Persistent Safety Challenges
Burundi continues to face significant challenges regarding media independence and the safety of journalists, according to assessments by international organizations monitoring press freedom. The country is currently ranked 119th out of 180 nations in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, which was officially published on April 30. This ranking provides a snapshot of the global landscape for press freedom and indicates the relative position of Burundi. While this position still places Burundi in the lower half of the global rankings, it does represent a slight improvement from the previous year. Burundi gained six places from 2025, when it was ranked 125th, showing a marginal upward movement in its standing.
Despite this quantitative improvement in its ranking, concerns persist over the environment for media professionals within the nation. The consistent and widespread restrictions on journalists, including those from public media outlets, contribute significantly to these ongoing concerns about the broader media landscape. The incidents of exclusion from public meetings, the selective authorization of media outlets, and the unresolved case of violence against a journalist collectively show that Burundi remains confronted with fundamental challenges related to ensuring genuine media independence and guaranteeing the safety of its journalists. The recent events in Burunga province serve as a stark reminder of the fragile state of press freedom in the country.
