On March 16, 2025, while addressing a congregation at Vision de Jésus-Christ Church, Ndayishimiye reignited tensions by blaming Rwanda for ethnic divisions in Burundi since 1959 and in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since 1996.
"Burundi faced problems in 1959 due to events in Rwanda. The Congolese also experienced turmoil after 1996 because of what happened in Rwanda. Should our countries keep suffering from problems originating in Rwanda?' he questioned.
'Let them resolve their own issues and stay out of ours. Here in Burundi, we have no Hutu or Tutsi, we are simply Burundians. If they choose to govern based on ethnicity, that is their concern," he added.
While Ndayishimiye claimed Burundi does not differentiate between Hutu and Tutsi, he has been accused of collaborating with the Congolese army, Wazalendo and terrorist group FDLR (remnants of those responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda) to target Congolese Tutsis.
The Burundian leader asserted that his country is in a strong position, stating that 'the world has woken up' and no longer believes mere rumors, but instead observes the realities on the ground in the DRC.
He told the congregation that the ongoing crisis might be resolved by the end of the 40-day fasting period.
Reiterating his claims of a Rwandan invasion plot, he dismissed the possibility, boasting that Burundi has both visible and invisible military forces. Using biblical references, he emphasized divine protection over his country.
"The idea that Rwanda could invade Burundi is sheer madness. I hear people say, 'Rwanda has a strong army.' Uuuh! If only they knew the forces, I have. How would they even know, unless they sought guidance from God to reveal them? Burundi has an army, both seen and unseen. It is well protected," he said.
Ndayishimiye also claimed that in June and July 2024, God defended Burundi from a major threat, and according to "the enemy's plans," his government was not expected to survive beyond October of that year.
In January and February 2025, he launched strong accusations against Rwanda, alleging that it was planning to invade Burundi. However, his rhetoric softened after engaging in discussions with "Rwanda's friendly nations."
By February 27, during a meeting with diplomats in Burundi, Ndayishimiye expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with Rwanda, similar to efforts made in 2020 to resolve the ongoing disputes.
"To prevent war between our two countries, we are committed to resolving conflicts through peaceful means. This is what we have been doing since 2020 when Burundi initiated discussions with Rwanda. To this day, Burundi remains open to dialogue with Rwanda to settle our differences," he said.
Last week, Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe confirmed that leaders from both countries are engaged in negotiations to ease tensions.
"Rwanda and Burundi are making significant progress towards ending hostilities and reaching an agreement, as discussions between their leaders continue," said Minister Nduhungirehe.
His statement suggested that if an agreement is reached, Burundi could reopen its borders with Rwanda, which it had closed in January 2024, accusing Rwanda of supporting the armed group RED Tabara, claims Rwanda has consistently denied.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/burundi-s-ndayishimiye-resumes-war-of-words-against-rwanda
