Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye has dismissed Lieutenant-Colonel Ir. Léonidas Nibigira, the head of the state construction agency OBUHA, following a heated inspection visit to a government-funded rabbit farming project in Karusi Commune, Gitega Province.
The dismissal came shortly after videos circulated online showing the visibly angry president confronting officials responsible for the project, accusing them of wasting public funds while making little visible progress on the site.
During the visit, President Ndayishimiye discovered that construction work remained incomplete despite the project reportedly receiving nearly 2.5 billion Burundian francs over the past three years. Even basic structures and walls were still unfinished, a situation that appeared to shock the head of state.
In one of the widely shared videos, Ndayishimiye could be heard angrily telling project officials: “You are here just to eat.”
The remark quickly sparked debate across Burundi and on social media, with many questioning how such a large amount of public money could be spent without producing meaningful results.
Since taking office in 2020, Evariste Ndayishimiye has repeatedly promoted rabbit farming as a fast and affordable way to help poor families improve their livelihoods. His administration has presented the initiative as part of a broader strategy to fight poverty, increase food production, and generate income for rural communities.
However, critics of the government have long argued that several development programs linked to the initiative suffered from weak planning, poor oversight, and allegations of financial mismanagement.
Political observers say the president’s public anger may reflect growing pressure within the government to address corruption and restore accountability in state-funded projects. Others believe the dismissal sends a warning to senior officials accused of misusing taxpayer money or delaying strategic development programs.
The controversy surrounding the Karusi rabbit project has now fueled calls for a deeper investigation into how the billions allocated to the initiative were managed and whether corruption or embezzlement played a role in the stalled construction works.
