Minister denies rebels to blame for blackout

Bernard Barandereka, Minister for Mines and Energy, Bernard Barandereka, on Thursday said a cut in electricity supply which has affected Bujumbura and many other parts of the country was due to a “technical problem” and not because the rebel FNL had cut the power. “The rebels haven’t cut the electricity supply. This is purely a technical problem,” Barandereka told IRIN. “We are still working on it and I believe it might be back later in the day.” AFP on Thursday quoted staff of the Burundi power and water company REGIDESO as saying that the FNL on Wednesday cut a power line which provided 70 percent of the country’s electricity supply.

“We’re losing on average 19 megawatts in power,” it quoted the company’s technical director for electricity supplies, Damien Sejiji as saying. “Compared to 27 megawatts consumed in Burundi, that makes around 70 percent,” he added. “This won’t be like 1995,” Sejiji said. “Today, we’re able to get to the spot. The work should take a few hours and the situation will be back to normal in two days.” In 1995, the FNL cut power lines, causing stringent rationing of electricity supplies in the capital for a year, AFP reported.