Burundi Confirms Death of Communications Minister Gabby Bugaga in Road Accident

The announcement was made by government spokesperson Jérôme Niyonzima, who dismissed speculation surrounding the circumstances of the incident and described the death as an accident. According to official information, the minister’s body was discovered at around 2:00 a.m. inside his vehicle, a Toyota Hilux, parked in a palm grove in the Kivoga area near a roadside in Bujumbura. Authorities noted that the minister was traveling alone at the time of the incident and was not accompanied by security personnel, a situation considered unusual for a senior government official in Burundi. “The Republic of Burundi is deeply saddened to inform the public and the international community of the sudden death of Minister Gabby Bugaga, who died in a road accident in the early hours of this morning, April 16, 2026,” Niyonzima said in an official statement. President Évariste Ndayishimiye expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and to the nation, praising the late minister’s public service. “May God receive him and reward him for the courage, diligence, and dedication he demonstrated in serving the country,” the president said. Bugaga had previously built a career in journalism at the national broadcaster RTNB before serving in several public institutions, including the Senate and the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI). He was appointed Minister of Communications and Information in August 2025.

Faits rapportés

The announcement was made by government spokesperson Jérôme Niyonzima, who dismissed speculation surrounding the circumstances of the incident and described the death as an accident. According to official information, the minister’s body was discovered at around 2:00 a.m. inside his vehicle, a Toyota Hilux, parked in a palm grove in the Kivoga area near a roadside in Bujumbura. Authorities noted that the minister was traveling alone at the time of the incident and was not accompanied by security personnel, a situation considered unusual for a senior government official in Burundi. “The Republic of Burundi is deeply saddened to inform the public and the international community of the sudden death of Minister Gabby Bugaga, who died in a road accident in the early hours of this morning, April 16, 2026,” Niyonzima said in an official statement. President Évariste Ndayishimiye expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and to the nation, praising the late minister’s public service. “May God receive him and reward him for the courage, diligence, and dedication he demonstrated in serving the country,” the president said. Bugaga had previously built a career in journalism at the national broadcaster RTNB before serving in several public institutions, including the Senate and the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI). He was appointed Minister of Communications and Information in August 2025.