Why was Bujumbura designated Burundi’s economic capital in 2019?

In January 2019, the Burundian Parliament passed a law—promulgated in February—that formally designated Gitega as the country’s political capital and Bujumbura as its economic capital.123

This change was part of a broader initiative to relocate the national capital from Bujumbura to Gitega, a process initiated by the administration of President Pierre Nkurunziza. While the government cited Gitega’s central location and historical significance as the former seat of the Burundian mwami (king) as reasons for the move, critics alleged that the administration sought to distance itself from Bujumbura, which was viewed as an opposition stronghold and a center of ongoing dissent.142

Bujumbura remains the country's largest urban center and a vital hub for industry and trade, serving as the primary port on Lake Tanganyika through which most of Burundi's foreign trade is conducted.3