This archive report was first published on 3 May 2021.
May 27, 2015, marked the beginning of a tumultuous period in Burundi's history, as protests against President Pierre Nkurunziza's third term erupted in cities across the country.
Today, six years later, residents of Bujumbura are slowly rebuilding their lives, with many returning to their homes and businesses after fleeing the violence.
Edward Nkunzimana, a resident of Cibitoke, a suburb in the outskirts of Bujumbura, was forced to flee his home during the protests but has since returned.
'I returned a year after the crisis and had to start my business again,' said Mr Nkunzimana. 'Now, you can see life is back to normal.'
However, not everyone is optimistic about the future. Mujawimana Veronica, a 63-year-old woman in Bujumbura, fears that the violence could return.
'I pray that what happened in 2015 should never happen again in the country because we have been through this for decades,' she said.
According to Human Rights Watch, more than 1,000 people were killed during the 2015 political crisis, and thousands are still living outside the country.
Despite the challenges, Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye has called on Burundians living abroad to return and help develop their country.
However, the voluntary repatriation of Burundian refugees has been met with criticism, with some accusing the Burundian and Tanzanian governments of harassing refugees and forcing them to return home.
The tripartite agreement between the Tanzanian government, the Burundian government, and the UNHCR has been in place since 2017, but its effectiveness has been questioned.
