The incident occurred on the night of March 31 at a military facility known as “Base,” located in the Musaga area of Bujumbura.
Burundi’s military and the Ministry of Internal Security stated that the fire was caused by an electrical fault.
In a message posted on social media platform X, President Ndayishimiye expressed his sympathy to affected citizens and reassured the public.
“I extend my condolences to those affected by the fire that broke out in one of the depots at a military base in Musaga zone. We reassure all Burundians that national institutions are doing everything possible to respond and maintain security. May God protect Burundi,” he said.
The fire triggered a series of powerful explosions from the stored weapons, with blasts heard across several parts of Bujumbura.
According to reports by BBC, explosions were still being heard as late as 10:30 p.m.
The incident caused panic among residents, with some seen fleeing their homes. People living near the military base reported damage to their houses, forcing some to relocate to safer areas within the city.
Fragments from the explosions landed in residential neighborhoods including Kinanira 3 and 4, while others reached Ngagara Zone, particularly Quartier 9, located more than five kilometers from the site of the incident.
As of now, the full extent of the damage remains unclear, though reports indicate that several injuries and dozens of casualties have already occurred near the base and in other areas affected by the explosions.
President Ndayishimiye expressed his sympathy to affected citizens and rcalled for divine protection. Photo taken on March 31, 2026 shows smoke rising after explosions followed a fire at a military camp in Bujumbura Province, Burundi. Several blasts were heard in Bujumbura, Burundi’s economic capital, on Tuesday.
The company’s revenues grew by 22.1%, driven by increased sales of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as pricing strategies designed to remain affordable for consumers.
BRALIRWA indicates that production increased in line with higher sales volumes, but this growth was constrained by a 23.6% rise in production costs compared to the previous year. This was largely attributed to rising global prices of raw materials and packaging inputs.
The company also reported a 39% rise in distribution and selling expenses, mainly due to increased investment in market operations and higher transportation costs associated with delivering products to customers.
Administrative expenses, however, declined slightly by 1.5%, largely due to a reclassification of inventory variance accounting into the cost of sales following operational changes implemented in 2025. Excluding this adjustment, administrative costs would have increased by 5.1%, primarily driven by higher staff-related expenses.
As a result, BRALIRWA recorded an operating profit of Rwf 70.9 billion in 2025, up from Rwf 59.4 billion in 2024. This growth contributed to a 23.1% increase in profit before tax, which in turn led to a 44.8% rise in income tax compared to the previous year.
The Managing Director of BRALIRWA Plc, Ethel Emma-Uche, described 2025 as a strong year for the company’s performance, crediting customer loyalty, a supportive business environment, and effective price management strategies.
Despite continued pressure from high input costs, she said, the company’s strong performance reflects the sustained efforts made in cost management and operational efficiency.
She also expressed gratitude to customers for their continued trust in the beverage manufacturer’s products.
In addition to its improved earnings, the company also reported an increase in dividends to shareholders, rising to Rwf 41.63 per share from Rwf 35.96 in 2024. Subject to approval at the Annual General Meeting scheduled for June 29, 2026, the dividend is expected to be paid on July 15, 2026.
BRALIRWA’s revenues grew by 22.1%, driven by increased sales of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
The original prohibition, established in 2023 by former Mayor Eric Adams, aligned with the federal government and many U.S. states that restricted the app on government-owned devices due to concerns about its parent company, ByteDance. TikTok has previously dismissed these concerns as unfounded.
Under the new guidelines issued by NYC Cyber Command, agencies must use dedicated devices for TikTok that do not contain sensitive data.
The city’s cyber agency said the move is aimed at expanding communication with residents. “The Mamdani administration is committed to using every tool in our toolbox to communicate with New Yorkers,” it said.
The official NYC mayor TikTok account has begun posting new content. It had been dormant since the ban took effect.
“We leave because there’s no reason for us to do this,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
“All I have to do is leave Iran, and we’ll be doing that very soon, and they’ll become tumbling down,” Trump said when asked about his plan for lowering gas prices.
The U.S. president, facing mounting pressure from energy market volatility and investor concerns over a prolonged conflict, has issued a number of conflicting remarks on the timeline of the war since the U.S. and Israel launched massive attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
Trump said the U.S. and Iran are negotiating, and it’s possible that the war will come to an end sooner if the two countries reach a deal.
“It’s possible that we’ll have a deal because they want to make a deal. They want to make a deal more than I want to make a deal. But in a fairly short period of time, we’ll be finished,” Trump said.
“Now we have a group of people that’s very — that are very different. They’re much more reasonable,” Trump added.
Trump reiterated that it will be up to other countries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and secure the crucial global energy waterway.
“If France or some other country wants to get oil or gas, you go up through the strait and — the Hormuz Strait — they’ll go right up there and they’ll be able to fend for themselves,” Trump said.
Trump said the U.S. and Iran are negotiating, and it’s possible that the war will come to an end sooner if the two countries reach a deal.
Flydubai said Iranian nationals holding a UAE “Golden Visa” are exempt from the restriction.
The restriction comes amid growing strains between Iran and Gulf nations.
On Wednesday morning, loud explosions from intercepted missiles were heard across Dubai. Authorities in the emirate of Fujairah reported that one person was killed after debris from an intercepted drone fell on a farm in the Al-Rifa’a area.
As part of the celebrations, BRALIRWA organized an event that brought together all female employees of the company.
The gathering aimed to recognize their achievements, provide a platform for sharing experiences, and reflect on the company’s journey toward advancing gender equality in the workplace.
More than just a celebration, the event served as an opportunity to highlight BRALIRWA’s ongoing efforts to create a workplace where women feel valued, supported, and empowered to lead.
The event also featured discussions on health and well-being, alongside testimonies from women who participated in the company’s nine-month leadership and career development program known as “Lift Her Up.”
In recent years, BRALIRWA has recorded notable progress in increasing women’s representation in leadership roles, reflecting its commitment to gender-balanced management. Currently, women make up 65% of the company’s leadership, up from 37%.
The company has also prioritized career advancement, with women accounting for 38% of all employee promotions in the past year. This demonstrates that BRALIRWA not only employs women but actively supports their professional growth and advancement.
BRALIRWA’s Human Resources Director, Laetitia Uwera, said the progress made reflects the company’s people-centered approach.
“Inclusion and gender equality are not just values; they are pillars of sustainable growth. We are proud of the progress we have made so far.
“When our employees feel supported and empowered, they perform better and drive meaningful change. Inclusion is integral to how we operate, as it fosters innovation, growth, and capability development. We remain committed to strengthening these efforts to build a workplace that supports women and all employees,” she said.
BRALIRWA Plc Managing Director, Ethel Emma-Uche, emphasized that fostering an inclusive work environment benefits not only employees but also the business.
“To effectively meet the needs of our diverse consumers, it is essential that our workforce reflects that diversity. This allows us to remain relevant and continue innovating. When people with different perspectives come together, we make better decisions in producing our beverages and delivering value to customers across the country.
While we are proud of the progress achieved, we will continue working to ensure BRALIRWA remains a place where everyone has the opportunity to grow and thrive,” she said.
Among other initiatives, BRALIRWA has extended parental leave to support working families. Maternity leave has been increased to over four months (18 weeks), while paternity leave has been extended from 14 to 28 days.
The company also continues to invest in future talent through programs that support women and youth. These include internship opportunities for recent graduates within the HEINEKEN network, as well as initiatives like the Women Interactive Network (WIN), which offers mentorship and leadership training for women.
BRALIRWA’s efforts in promoting gender equality have also received international recognition. In 2025, the company was awarded a Gold Medal in the HEINEKEN Gender Playbook Assessment, underscoring its strong commitment to advancing inclusion and equality in the workplace.
The event served as an opportunity to highlight BRALIRWA’s ongoing efforts to create a workplace where women feel valuedAs part of the celebrations, BRALIRWA organized an event that brought together all female employees of the company. BRALIRWA Plc Managing Director, Ethel Emma-Uche, emphasized that fostering an inclusive work environment benefits not only employees but also the business. BRALIRWA’s Human Resources Director, Laetitia Uwera, said the progress made reflects the company’s people-centered approach.Beverage manufacturer, BRALIRWA Plc has marked Women’s Month by celebrating the impact of its inclusive policies.
The accident occurred in Mkiwa Village in Ikungi District when a bus traveling from Dodoma to Mwanza hit a pothole in the middle of the road, causing a front tire to burst and the driver to lose control.
Singida Regional Police Commander Amon Kakwale confirmed the incident, saying officers at the scene were instructed to secure passengers’ belongings and establish the identities of the deceased and injured.
Ikungi District Commissioner Thomas Apson said the injured and the bodies of the deceased were taken to Manyoni District Hospital and Singida Regional Referral Hospital for treatment and further procedures.
According to Bwire James, Manyoni district hospital medical officer, the facility received all 55 injured victims — 34 men and 21 women — along with six bodies of those who died at the scene.
This photo taken on Feb. 24, 2024 shows a road accident site in the Ngaramtoni suburb of Arusha, northern Tanzania.
The total value of the losses may exceed the cumulative regional GDP growth achieved in 2025, said the report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Coupled with an estimated rise in unemployment of up to 4 percentage points or 3.6 million jobs lost, more than the total jobs created in the region in 2025, these reversals will push up to 4 million people into poverty, according to the report titled “Military Escalation in the Middle East: Economic and Social Implications for the Arab States Region.”
The assessment exposes the concerning reality of structural vulnerabilities characteristic to the region, which enable a short-lived military escalation to generate profound and widespread socioeconomic impacts that may persist over a long term, it said.
The findings highlight that impacts are not uniform, varying significantly across the region due to the structural characteristics of its main subregions.
Across the region, human development as measured by the Human Development Index is expected to decline by approximately 0.2 to 0.4 percent, corresponding to a setback of roughly half a year to nearly one year of human development progress, according to the report.
“This crisis rings alarm bells for countries of the region to fundamentally reevaluate their strategic choices of fiscal, sectoral, and social policies, representing an important turning point in the development trajectory of the region,” Abdallah Al Dardari, UN assistant secretary-general and director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States in UNDP, said in a press release.
“Our findings underline the pressing need to strengthen regional collaboration to diversify economies — beyond reliance on growth driven by hydrocarbons, and to expand production bases, secure trade and logistics systems, and broaden economic partnerships, to reduce exposure to shocks and conflicts,” he said.
The assessment employs Computable General Equilibrium modeling to capture the magnitude of disruptions caused by a four-week conflict, and models its effects through key transmission channels, including increased trade costs, temporary productivity losses and localized capital destruction.
It conducted five simulation scenarios, representing escalating levels of conflict scenarios, ranging from a “moderate disruption,” where trade costs increase by tenfold, to an “extreme disruption and energy shock,” where trade costs increase a hundred-fold, intensified by a stop of hydrocarbon production.
This photo shows a damaged building after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes in Tehran, Iran on March 29, 2026.
Unlike conventional lasers, which amplify light particles (photons), the new device generates and controls phonons quantized particles of vibrational energy that behave like sound.
By manipulating these phonons, researchers have built a tool that can detect extremely subtle shifts in gravitational forces.
The research was conducted by physicists who are exploring how quantum technologies can improve measurement precision beyond what is possible with current instruments.
Their phonon laser prototype is designed to respond to tiny changes in environmental conditions, including variations in gravitational pull.
Because gravity subtly affects how vibrations behave in a solid medium, the phonon laser could potentially function as an ultra‑sensitive gravity sensor.
One of the most exciting aspects of this innovation is its potential use in navigation systems that do not rely on GPS. For example, submarines, aircraft, and spacecraft operating in environments where satellite signals are weak or unavailable could use phonon lasers to track their position by detecting local gravitational changes.
In addition, this technology may help physicists explore phenomena such as gravitational anomalies and contribute to experiments at the frontier between quantum mechanics and gravity two foundational yet currently incompatible frameworks of physics.
While the phonon laser is still in early development, its proof‑of‑concept success suggests a future where precision measurement tools are dramatically more sensitive and adaptable than traditional devices.
The study highlights how harnessing vibrational energy at the quantum level could lead to new ways of observing and interacting with the physical world.
This new “phonon laser” could measure gravity more precisely than ever before.
According to the company’s financial statement, insurance revenue for 2025 reached Rwf24.23 billion, up from Rwf22.33 billion in 2024, driven by increased underwriting activities. Profit before tax rose to Rwf 7.03 billion, while net profit after tax stood at Rwf4.92 billion, compared to Frw 4.42 billion in the previous year.
The company’s balance sheet also reflected a stronger financial position, with total assets rising to Rwf43.94 billion from Rwf38.19 billion, and total equity increasing to Rwf20.15 billion. Insurance liabilities accounted for Rwf 16.21 billion, while cash and cash equivalents amounted to Rwf 2.67 billion, underscoring improved liquidity.
The 2025 results demonstrate Prime Insurance’s sustained profitability, operational efficiency, and compliance with the IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts standard. The company also reported growth in its investment portfolio, supporting long-term stability.
Camille Karamaga, Chairman of the Board expressed satisfaction with the results, highlighting disciplined underwriting, prudent financial management, and a strengthened capital base.
“The company remains well-capitalized, financially sound, and strategically positioned to continue delivering sustainable growth and value to its shareholders and policyholders,” he stated.
Prime Insurance has also declared a dividend payout of Rwf1.5 billion, signaling a commitment to shareholder value creation.
Looking ahead, Prime Insurance has affirmed commitment to expand market share across Rwanda, enhance customer-centric insurance solutions, drive innovation and digital transformation, strengthen property and medical insurance offerings, and build strategic partnerships across sectors.
More details about the financial statement can be accessed here
