A Burundian minister has died in what the government said on Thursday was as a result of car accident.
Gabby Bugaga's body was discovered in a four-by-four by farmers roughly 10 metres (33 feet) from a rarely used road that winds through oil palm plantations in Kivoga, some 10 kilometres north of the economic capital, Bujumbura.
Two sources authenticated images of the body, collapsed sideways in the driver's seat of the damaged car, after photos were shared on social media by local farmers who did not recognise him.
"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," Government Spokesperson Jerome Niyonzima said in a statement. It provided no further details.
Investigation 'underway'
Earlier, a police source confirmed to AFP that the body found was that of the minister.
"The cause of his death has not yet been determined," he said, specifying that Bugaga had a "deep wound on his skull" and that the right side and rear of the vehicle were heavily damaged.
"The death of the minister of communication has many unanswered questions," the police source said, noting that despite his head injury, "the cabin is intact, why there was no impact at the front of the vehicle?"
An administrative official told AFP that an investigation was underway "to determine the cause of his death."
Senior state officials visit scene
Several high-ranking officials – including the Minister of the Interior and Public Security, Leonidas Ndaruzaniye, the Minister of Justice, Alfred Ahingejeje, the Attorney-General, and senior security officials – were seen where the body was found on Thursday morning, the sources reported.
An ex-journalist with the Burundian National Radio and Television, Bugaga worked in the communications departments of several national institutions before being appointed to the Independent National Electoral Commission. He became Minister of Communication in 2025.
