The phenomenon of ravination threatens the infrastructures built in the neighborhoods located upstream of the city of Bujumbura. The most emblematic example is the ravine that separates the Gitaramuka and Gikoto neighborhoods above the Musaga area. The inhabitants of these neighborhoods are sounding the alarm.

It is Monday, July 5, 2021 in the Gitaramuka district of the Musaga zone in Muha commune. The ravine phenomenon that is observed on the Mpimba River worries the inhabitants of the Gitaramuka and Gikoto neighborhoods of the Musaga zone in the urban commune of Muha. Upstream, the situation is dramatic, as noted by a Burundi Eco reporter. The ravine that separates these two neighborhoods is appalling. It reaches a depth that is not less than 50 m. The more the banks collapse, the more the bed widens. It currently reaches over 100 m. Some waterfront infrastructure has already collapsed. Others are on the edge of the precipice. In some places, the ground and some infrastructures built there already have cracks. Following this disaster, some residents have already emptied the premises. Others still live in this locality despite this threat due to the lack of financial resources to move elsewhere.

It is feared that these two neighborhoods could turn into a large ravine.

Emmanuel Nzeyimana, living in the Gitaramuka district, indicates that this ravine is widening from day to day. Previously, around the 1970s, it was just a small gutter that even kids could cross without difficulty. However, over time, the ravine took the lion's share. He even fears that these two neighborhoods could turn into a big ravine if nothing is done immediately to reverse the trend. It's the same story for Ms. Espérance Ciza, living in the Gikoto district. “The phenomenon of ravination is a serious threat for the inhabitants of these neighborhoods. Waterfront infrastructure collapses every time it rains. Others have cracks,” notes Nzeyimana. He is concerned that among the victims there are those who took out loans from banks to build these houses that are threatened with collapse.

In recent days, OPC1 Anicet Nibaruta, Director General of Civil Protection and President of the National Platform for the Prevention and Management of Disaster Risks, affirmed that the phenomenon of ravination is a reality in Burundi. According to him, there are also other regions that are threatened by this phenomenon. For example, this is the case in Muyinga province. According to him, these ravines are widening in depth and laterally.

This phenomenon is a result of climate change.

Nibaruta says that these gully problems are a result of climate change. “We need to develop community resilience in order to adapt to it,” he says. He asked the services responsible for land use planning to accompany the inhabitants every time they want to build their houses. To settle in any area, Nibaruta indicates that one does not do it all at once. First, it must be serviced. Unfortunately, he noted that there are people who are settling in very high-risk areas.