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Burundi’s Minister of Communication and Media, Gabby Bugaga, was found dead in his car on Thursday.
Bugaga’s body was discovered in his car by farmers roughly 10 metres (33 feet) from a rarely used and notoriously unsafe road that winds through oil palm plantations in Kivoga, some 10 kilometres (six miles) north of the economic capital, Bujumbura.
The government’s spokesperson, Jerome Niyonzima, in a statement, said the cause of his death has not yet been determined, and that he had a “deep wound on his skull”. Niyonzima, however, said the vehicle’s right side and rear were heavily damaged.
“The Government of the Republic of Burundi deeply regrets to announce….the unexpected death of the Minister of Communication and Media, Mr Gabby Buguga, which occurred at dawn on April 16, 2026, following an accident,” said Niyonzima in a statement.
Two sources authenticated images of the body, which collapsed sideways in the driving seat of the damaged car, after photos were shared on social media by local farmers who reportedly did not recognise him.
A police source had earlier confirmed to AFP that the body found was that of the minister.
The police source told AFP that Bugaga’s death happened under mysterious circumstances, noting that despite his head injury, the cabin remained intact. The source questioned why there was no impact at the front of the vehicle.”
“The government doesn’t want a scandal, it has decided to bury the case without an official investigation,” they added.
An administrative official who pleaded anonymity said that an investigation was ongoing to determine the cause of Bugaga’s death.
Bugaga was a former journalist with the Burundian National Radio and Television. He worked in the communications departments of several national institutions before being appointed to Burundi’s Independent National Electoral Commission. He was appointed as the country’s Minister of Communication in 2025.
