The corruption affecting the highest levels of the Republic of Burundi is more severe today than in the past. Is it an attempt to rescue an economy crippled by corruption, incompetence, and lack of visionary leadership?
Previously critical of his predecessor Pierre Nkurunziza for signing mining contracts favoring multinationals over the public treasury, the Burundian head of state now believes he can improve the situation by involving inexperienced individuals with no substantial access to the international mineral market.
He recently sold the valuable Murehe mining site (north) to SOTREVO, a non-existent shell company that cannot be found in any mining company register.
Evariste Ndayishimiye convened an extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting to approve the sale of the mining site. His ministers then uncritically endorsed the allocation to this company, whose representatives remain unknown.
The agreement is so skewed that some speculate the Head of State has secured a significant share for himself at the expense of the State he represents.
According to the agreement, the State will receive only 20% of the mining revenues, while the chosen company will take the majority, 80% of the revenues.
Given these terms, it seems likely that this company is a creation of Évariste Ndayishimiye or the group of generals who support him.
Others suggest it is a personal venture of Evariste Ndayishimiye and his wife, who are involved in numerous business activities in Burundi. Notably, there is another company, PRESTIGE, which was granted priority access to all dollars for importing fuel into the country, after sidelining INTERPETROL, which had been supplying fuel even during the war.
With this mining contract, the Burundian head of state disregards the new Mining Code's win-win principle.
Thus, Burundi remains under the firm grip of the CNDD-FDD group, and only force might remove them.
Komen