The journey to help these Burundians return home began on the morning of November 25, 2025, in Kirehe and Kigali.
The first group set foot on their homeland at 1:25 PM, after crossing the Nemba border. The returnees included 58 women, 51 children, and 107 individuals from Mahama Camp, along with eight others from Kigali.
They were part of 58 families who had fled Burundi and found refuge in Rwanda.
Gonzague Karagire, Refugee Program Manager at the Ministry of Emergency Management, stated that the decision to repatriate the refugees was made based on their own requests.
"The decision to return was made voluntarily by the refugees themselves. The government of Rwanda, which hosted them, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR] coordinated efforts to prepare for their return. All necessary support was provided to them upon arrival in their home country," Karagire explained.
Some of the returnees, including those who had children born in exile, spoke to IGIHE about their experiences. While life in exile had been difficult, they expressed gratitude for the support they received in Rwanda.
Eric Ndayishimiye, who fled Burundi in 2015 with his family, said he had continued his education at Mahama and was grateful for the opportunities Rwanda provided.
"Rwanda supported us well, providing food and clothing on time without any issues. I had started my first grade and resumed studies upon arrival in the camp, and I was in my fourth year of secondary school, but I also learned motorbike driving and vehicle mechanics," Ndayishimiye said.
He also shared that while he was young when he fled, he felt a deep longing to return home after hearing that peace had been restored in Burundi.
Aziza Bamuhorubusa, who had been at Mahama Camp since 2015, also expressed her appreciation for Rwanda's help over the past 10 years.
She said, "I arrived with two children, and now I have five. Over the years, we've been following news from home and hearing that peace had returned. After ten years of being in Rwanda, we never faced serious problems apart from the usual difficulties of life in exile. But now, it's time to return to my country, as there's value in being in your homeland. Rwanda has taken great care of me and my children."
François Ndabacekure, who arrived in Rwanda in 2002 and moved to Mahama Camp in 2015, mentioned that after hearing the news of peace in Burundi, he and his family decided to return.
"I came to Rwanda in 2002 looking for work, but in 2015, we were relocated to Mahama Camp. Many of the early returnees told us about the peace back home, so we decided to go back. I hope to settle where I was born, but if life proves difficult there, I will seek other opportunities."
According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, since January 27, 2020, a total of 30,907 Burundian refugees have returned to their home country.
However, there are still 52,862 Burundian refugees in Rwanda, with 42,421 of them living in Mahama Camp and others residing in different locations outside the camp.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/over-100-burundian-refugees-return-home-from-rwanda
