SUMMARY REPORT OF THE PLENARY SESSION OF APRIL 8, 2025

In the year two thousand and twenty-five, on the eighth day of April, Senators met in the Senate hemicycle  in Gitega for the 232rd plenary session of the sixth legislature to analyse the following items:

• Adoption of the amended programme of activities planned for the period from April 1 to April 8, 2025;
• Analysis and adoption of the programme of activities to be carried out for the period from April 9 to 16, 2025;
• Presentation of the annual report of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Burundi.

The activities of this session were chaired by the Right Honourable Emmanuel Sinzohagera, Senate Speaker. This session, which began, as usual, with a prayer at 9:52 a.m., was attended by 22 senators and the Ombudsman of Burundi, Honourable Aimée Laurentine Kanyana.

After welcoming the august assembly, the Chairperson of the session then presented the amended programme of activities planned for the period from April 1 to 8, 2025, followed by the programme of activities planned for the period from April 9 to 16, 2025, for adoption, which was unanimously adopted by the senators present.

Following the adoption of these two programmes, the session continued with the Ombudsman’s presentation of the aforementioned report.

In her presentation, the Ombudsman stated that the institution’s daily work is part of the dynamics of fostering a culture of peace in our country by prioritizing prevention activities that help capture citizen anger by providing the State with conflict buffers to ensure and preserve social peace, the foundation upon which all initiatives will be based in fulfilling the Government’s commitment to making Burundi “an emerging country by 2040 and a developed country by 2060.”

Regarding achievements, the Honorable Aimée Laurentine Kanyana indicated that the record of cases handled and closed is largely satisfactory. However, she noted that challenges have not been lacking, including certain decisions made that are not implemented or are difficult to implement. Afterwards, the floor was given to the Honourable senators to speak on the general debate and ask questions for clarification.

Asked specifically about the Ombudsman’s domains of action, Honourable Aimée Laurentine Kanyana replied that the institution’s scope covers all areas of national life.

Other questions focused on the content of the report, with a view to enriching it, including:

• strengthening the framework for collaboration with the administration;
• Increasing the frameworks for dialogue with judicial bodies at all levels.

After the Ombudsman’s responses to the questions posed, the Honourable senators recommended that the Ombudsman should include all outstanding cases in the next report.

After receiving the report, the meeting was closed at 12:07 with a prayer.