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Burundi’s "Secret War" in DRC: MAP-Burundi Buhire sounds the alarm over constitutional treason
The opposition movement MAP-Burundi Buhire has issued a scathing indictment of Burundi’s military involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), calling the operation a "grave violation" of the Constitution and a threat to national unity.
In a formal declaration dated February 1, 2026, the Movement of Patriotic Actions (MAP-Burundi Buhire), operating from Manchester, criticized the lack of transparency surrounding the bilateral defense agreement signed in August 2023 between Gitega and Kinshasa.
A "Legal Vacuum" at the Top
The movement highlights that the military deployment—which involves active combat and significant state spending—was never submitted for parliamentary ratification, as required by Burundian constitutional law.
"The Nation has been committed to an external conflict without public debate or a clear institutional mandate," the organization stated, pointing to a "zone of constitutional irresponsibility."
Furthermore, MAP-Burundi Buhire accuses the authorities of deliberately stalling the establishment of the High Court of Justice. Although mandated by the 2018 Constitution to try the Head of State for "high treason," the court remains non-functional due to the absence of necessary organic laws. This delay, the group argues, effectively immunizes the executive from accountability.
Fear of Ethnic Escalation
The most alarming section of the statement concerns the nature of the alliances on the ground. The movement expressed "vivid opposition" to the Burundian National Defense Forces (FDNB) operating alongside Maï-Maï militias and the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda).
The organization warned of the dire consequences for the Banyamulenge community in eastern DRC, citing:
Community Targeting: The risk of military operations being perceived as ethnically motivated.
National Cohesion: The danger of regional ethnic tensions spilling back over into Burundi.
Breach of Peace Accords: A departure from the spirit of the Arusha Agreement and the Charter of National Unity.
Demands for Withdrawal
Faced with what it describes as "uncontrolled security risks," MAP-Burundi Buhire is demanding the immediate withdrawal of Burundian troops from any coalition involving irregular armed groups. They are also calling for the full public disclosure of all military agreements linking Burundi to the DRC.
The movement concluded by reminding the government that the Charter of National Unity is "not a symbolic text" but a living commitment to prevent the instrumentalization of ethnicity for political or military ends.
