Burundi: criticized by the president of the country, the mayor of Bujumbura launches a new clean city operation
Burundi wants to boost its tourism, which is still in its embryonic state unlike most of the countries of the East African Community (EAC) of which it is a part.
For this, he organized a general meeting last weekend to make this sector “
a lever of economic growth in the service of Burundi, an emerging country in 2040 and a developed country in 2060
”.
But for the Burundian president, the chronic lack of cleanliness in Bujumbura, the country's main city, has become a real obstacle to the development of tourism.
He therefore violently attacked the mayor of this city, who reacted quickly from the start of this week.
In the Cibitoke district, north of the capital Bujumbura (illustrative image).
Photo: RFI / SR
By: RFI Follow
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Trash cans thrown nonchalantly into the gutters of Bujumbura, mountains of rubbish piled up in places or even roads under water due to clogged sewers, Bujumbura, the showcase of
Burundi
is no longer known for its cleanliness as it was in the last century .
On Friday March 8, the Burundian president, who is known for his outspokenness, took advantage of the tourism general meeting to sharply question the mayor of Bujumbura, General Jimmy Hatungimana, as well as all the high-ranking personalities present on site.
.
“
And with that
,” launched Évariste Ndayishimie, “
you want tourists to come to Burundi, while everywhere you passed to get here was full of rubbish!
I can see that you are ashamed, but I warn you: you are going to see me one of these four, sweeping up all the dirt accumulated in the city center, all alone!
And don’t you dare come help me, Mr. Mayor, because you failed to clean up this city
.”
Immediate effect
The effect was immediate.
The mayor of Bujumbura, who was publicly criticized in this way, sent, two days later, without even warning his constituents, agents responsible for checking whether each household had cleaned in front of their house, under penalty of immediate sanctions, as explained in this article. resident: “
My little sister who lives in the Carama neighborhood found her house locked with a padlock from the town hall, because she had not removed the weeds that had grown in front of her house.
She had to call the agent who had left a telephone number, to pay a fine of more than three euros so that he would open her door
.”
But on social networks, many do not hide their skepticism about the chances of success of this umpteenth unexpected “clean city operation” in Bujumbura.
Life herePotholes: the benefactor of Bujumbura
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