Burundi: Congolese Refugees in Dire Conditions Following Uvira-Fizi Clashes

Bujumbura, Burundi - January 2, 2026 A recent report highlights the extreme living conditions of Congolese refugees who fled the ongoing conflict between AFC/M23 rebels in the Uvira and Fizi territories of the DRC. Since arriving in Burundi on December 10, 2025, these refugees have been hosted in transit camps at Rugombo, Rumonge, and Gatumba, where they are enduring severe poverty and lack of basic necessities. Mapenzi Manyebwa, a representative of the refugees, described the situation: “In Gatumba, Congolese refugees spent the New Year in anguish, as most could not afford clothes or gifts for their children. We live in unsanitary conditions, and many lack food. It was in this suffering and stress that the majority of Congolese refugees spent the holidays.” Despite the dire circumstances, Manyebwa expressed gratitude for the opportunity to begin a new year, even amidst hardship. Aid has been minimal, limited to isolated individual interventions, leaving the majority of refugees without adequate support. The UNHCR in Burundi is currently resettling refugees in Ruhigi province, approximately 60 km north of Bujumbura, in an effort to improve their living conditions.