Burundi: Explosions Rock Bujumbura

Multiple explosions ripped through the city of Bujumbura after a military arsenal caught fire on Tuesday evening. Burundi’s president has since made a statement to calm public fears after many mistook the explosions  for bombs. In his  message to the nation, President Évariste Ndayishimiye thanked both domestic and international well-wishers for their solidarity following the blaze at a logistical warehouse within the Musaga military base in Bujumbura. He emphasised that the situation was under control, seeking to reassure a shaken-up public.

A few hours after the initial explosions, army spokesperson Gaspard Baratuza attributed the incident to an electrical fault. “A serious electrical accident in the ammunition store of the FDNB (Burundi National Defence Force) based in Musaga is the cause of the explosions currently being heard in the economic capital Bujumbura,” Baratuza said in a message shared with journalists via WhatsApp. He urged residents to remain calm and to avoid the surrounding areas while emergency teams worked to contain the situation.

The explosions caused widespread panic across the city of more than one  million people. Witnesses reported loud blasts and large flames lighting up the night sky, with images of the fire circulating rapidly on social media. A tall mushroom cloud of smoke was seen over a Bujumbura neighbourhood at night, which one resident described as “spreading terror” across the city. A projectile reportedly landed close to the country’s national radio broadcaster, raising fears of a coup amongst residents.

One resident of the Gasekebuye neighbourhood, located several kilometers from the Musaga base, told AFP that munitions appeared to be burning and that the blasts had shattered windows in their home.

Independent journalism platform, SOS Medias Burundi reported on the increasing unease in the city, noting that some residents expressed concerns about a potential deterioration in the security situation. “Fear is spreading rapidly among residents, with many continuing to flee their homes,” the organisation said, while cautioning that “the situation remains unclear and highly concerning.”

Musaga is in the southern suburbs of Bujumbura, and the base is a key installation supporting the Burundi National Defence Force’s logistics operations. The presence of stored ammunition significantly increased the risks after the fire started. Despite the severity of the incident, officials had not confirmed any casualties or disclosed the full extent of the damage in the hours following the explosions. The government said it has launched a full investigation into the matter.

The incident unfolded on the same day President Ndayishimiye returned from a trip to the Central African Republic, where he had attended the third term inauguration of President Faustin-Archange Touadera.

These explosions occurr during a period of instability for in Burundi. Burundi, ranked in 2023 by the World Bank as the world’s second-poorest country after South Sudan by GDP per capita, has been stuck in a prolonged economic crisis, including a three-year petrol shortage that has paralysed daily life. Bujumbura sits on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, across from the conflict-ridden eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where Burundian troops are deployed to assist Congolese government forces battling the Rwanda-backed M23 militia.

Through the night and into Wednesday morning, security forces have maintained control of the perimeter around the Musaga base as emergency teams continue  their response. Authorities urged the public to avoid the area while an investigation into the cause and consequences of the blasts is ongoing.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​