As of November 2025, over 140,000 Burundian refugees were residing in neighbouring Tanzania, having fled years of civil unrest in Burundi. While thousands continue to return voluntarily, UNHCR officials warn that many still require international protection, particularly those fearing for their safety or political persecution, including members of the opposition and former military personnel. Up to 17,000 refugees have expressed that returning to Burundi would put their lives or freedom at risk.
UNHCR has raised concerns about potential coercion in the repatriation process, reporting that some refugee shelters in Tanzania are being demolished and that certain refugees have faced mistreatment. The agency emphasizes that forced returns, or refoulement, are prohibited under international refugee law, and it continues to advocate for the protection of refugees in the camps.
Many Burundian refugees in Tanzania have experienced repeated displacement. Some fled during the civil war of the 1990s and early 2000s, returned to Burundi, and then fled again during political unrest in 2015.
Currently, there are two refugee camps in the Kigoma region of northwestern Tanzania: Nduta and Nyarugusu, the larger of the two. Many refugees are seeking to relocate to Nyarugusu following the announcement that Nduta camp is scheduled to close in March 2026. Conditions in the camps remain challenging, compounded by reductions in UNHCR funding that have impacted services. Historically, UNHCR assisted with the voluntary return of around 390,000 refugees from Tanzania between 2002 and 2009, while about 162,000 Burundian nationals were granted Tanzanian citizenship in 2014.
