While in Kirundo Province on February 11, 2025, Ndayishimiye urged Burundians to prepare for war with Rwanda, stating that he would send all Burundians to the border to confront Rwandans, claiming he was ready to win.
He declared, 'Prepare yourselves, do not be afraid. We know them well. In Bugesera, we know each other. Since the era of the monarchy, they have never defeated us. Do you think they can now? Remind them, 'Do you remember where Kirundo stands?'' Ndayishimiye said.
In an interview with Télé Renaissance, Bamvuginyumvira condemned Ndayishimiye's remarks, emphasizing that disputes between nations should be resolved through diplomatic channels.
The opposition politician, who leads the 'Urunani CFOR-Arusha' coalition, warned that Ndayishimiye's actions could endanger Burundi.
"Our Head of State has taken a dangerous path that is difficult for him to reverse. Instead, he has chosen to put Burundi in jeopardy," he stated.
Bamvuginyumvira pointed out that when the CNDD-FDD government came to power, Burundians had high hopes that it would implement the Arusha Agreement, particularly the provision aimed at reconciling communities divided along ethnic lines.
However, he argued that the administrations of Pierre Nkurunziza and Ndayishimiye opted to divide Burundians, incite internal conflicts, and suppress opposition, leading many into exile or imprisonment.
He further stressed that Ndayishimiye's remarks would not resolve tensions between Rwanda and Burundi but would only worsen them. "Such statements are not a solution but rather an added complication," he remarked.
Speaking from exile, Bamvuginyumvira linked the tensions between Rwanda and Burundi to the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in North and South Kivu.
Since 2023, Burundian forces have been fighting alongside the DRC army against the M23 rebel group, but they have continued to lose ground. Bamvuginyumvira called for Burundian troops to withdraw from the DRC.
"Instead of wasting time in Congo and suffering losses, they should return home, reconcile, and change the government. Once they achieve that, they can engage in dialogue, reopen borders, and restore peace for the citizens. Pushing people into war is not the solution,' he said.
Regarding the war in the DRC, he maintained that it is primarily an internal Congolese conflict. "You all know how this war started. It is a conflict among Congolese themselves," he asserted.
Bamvuginyumvira proposed that after Burundi's withdrawal from the DRC and a change in leadership that upholds the Arusha agreement, there should be regional negotiations among the Great Lakes countries.
"Return to your country, change the government, and let these nations engage in dialogue. Rwanda should talk with Burundi, Burundi should talk with Rwanda, Rwanda should negotiate with Congo, and Congo should talk with its own citizens,' he said.
We, as Burundians in exile, should also be part of this dialogue because we want to return home. We need to discuss governance under the Arusha Agreement, unify Burundians, pool our intelligence, and build our country. Let's move Burundi from sorrow and instability to real development,' he added.
Relations between Rwanda and Burundi deteriorated in December 2023, leading Burundi to close its borders in January 2024. The borders remain closed to this day.
IGIHE
