The main purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which political deployees employed participatory management in state owned companies in the Republic of Burundi. The identified state owned company was REGIDESO, a water and electricity supply utility in Burundi. The study examined the extent to which REGIDESO employees participate in the decision-making within their organization bodies and to find out whether employees were willing to participate in their organization if they were given an opportunity to do so. Obstacles to employee participation in decision-making within REGIDESO were researched. The premise from which this study was undertaken was that participative management is touted as the best style for managing in contemporary organizations and has often been promoted as the quick cure for poor morale, low performance and productivity. To answer these questions, a structured questionnaire to test REGIDESO employee participation in decision-making was administered to a sample of 62 employees. Only 60 questionnaires were filled and returned. The survey findings revealed that the extent to which REGIDESO employees participate in decision-making was too low because the majority of the respondents said they did not have access to participation and said that senior managers were the ones who make decisions in the company. On willingness to participate, more than 95% of respondents were willing to participate in decision-making processes. Educational qualifications played a big role on the extent of willingness to participate where higher educated employees showed more eagerness. The main barriers to participation identified were that employees did not get feedback when they submitted their suggestions to superiors. The fact that managers in REGIDESO wanted full control of the organization and do not want to support employee involvement was also seen by workers as an obstacle to participation. The third obstacle mentioned by employees was that the organizational structure of the company did not allow employee participation. From the foregoing findings, some recommendations were made that would benefit both management and workers of REGIDESO. The law makers of Burundi were also given some advice. It also seemed necessary that researchers should examine other variables such as financial participation, labour turnover and absenteeism. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

This study examines the impact of conflict on the socio-economic development of Burundi. Conflicts, underdevelopment and poverty had marred most, if not all the post-colonial and African States contrary to the expectations of the world, especially after the end of the Cold War in 1989 when rivalry between Russia and United States ceased. International and other conflicts occurred paradoxically to the United Nations' claim that considerable progress has been achieved in resolving conflicts since the end of the Cold War and the creation of the United Nations. In almost every area the individuals. · nations, international communities, regional organizations, continental and global structures are working together in attempts to set the global agenda for peace and security. Burundi is one of the African States that has drawn the attention of the United Nations in as far as conflict and underdevelopment is concerned. The ethnically motivated tension between the Hutu and Tutsi is one example where socio-economic development has been affected and the communities are suffering, especially the vulnerable ones like women and, children and old people. Building lasting peace in Burundi will require that post-conflict regimes implement strategies that are explicitly aimed at addressing the root causes of the country's . contlicts and come up with best strategies for development. Therefore I examined carefully the causes of the conflicts that occurred in 1965, 1972, 1988, 1991 and the ongoing conflict that started in 1993, drawing from the literature on the social, economics and politics of civil wars in general and on existing studies on Burundi in particular. The socio-economic decline during 1960-1972 was due to political instability and the loss of Burundi's export markets in neighbouring Rwanda and Congo following decolonisation. During the period 1972-1988, socio-economic decline was fuelled by an increase in coffee export whereby the funds were used to create inefficient state firms used by the ruling elites as a source of economic rents and massive borrowing. During the third· sub-period, that is 1988 to date the decline was due a result of three civil wars, a total economic blockade, the freezing of aid by international donors and the collapse of investment and infrastructure. The study characterizes the conflicts in Burundi as distributional conflicts in the sense that they arise from institutional failure and unequal distribution of national wealth across ethnic groups and regions. I illustrate the argument with the case of education and military, two key tools of consolidation of the patrimonial state. Institutional failure was not a result of incompetence on the part of leaders, but that it was carefully engineered by the ruling ethno-regional elite to consolidate power and privatise the state. Characterizing the wars as distributional conflicts has immediate policy implications for post-conflict recovery and peace consolidation. The analysis implies that the emphasis should be on achieving equitable access to national resources and power sharing, and that the attention should move beyond the narrow confines of ethnicity to embrace all the dimensions along which discrimination has been engineered in the past, especially regionalism. On the whole, growth and socio-economic development has been a failure because it has not been the priority of Burundi leadership. Blending traditional macroeconomic growth analysis with microeconomic, institutional and political economy approaches, the study shows that socio-economic outcomes have been endogenous to political imperatives. Controlled access to education and to the civil service and the army, the creation of a large number of state corporations, monetary policy, trade policy and a myriad of other policies were used to ensure that resources were allocated to the members of the ruling elite. The overarching objective of the leadership was the government's desire to hold its grip over the different sources of economic rents It is therefore clear that if the new Burundian leadership is serious about building peace and developing the socio-economic situation in Burundi, it must engineer institutions that uproot the legacy of discrimination and promote equal opportunity for social mobility for all members of ethnic groups and regions. In the process, the protection of human life and the socio-economic integration of all Burundians without distinction based on regional or ethnic background should be the basic principle guiding political, social and economic reforms. / M.Admin. (Peace Studies and International Relations) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2005

In many low-income and 'fragile' states, citizens' committees are elected to co-manage basic social services. However, the effects of such committees on service delivery, and the way they are influenced by local contexts, remain understudied. This thesis seeks to fill these gaps by examining the case of the health facility committees in Burundi and South Kivu between 2011 and 2014. It relies on original health facility and committee surveys, household surveys, nested interviews and focus groups, and interviews with key informants. The thesis firstly explores how the committees came about. It then looks at the questions, What makes them get involved in decisions at their health facility? and, How do measures designed to improve committee functioning lead to changes in service delivery, if at all? Mixed-methods work finds that chief nurses largely dominate the health facilities, and the committees appear to be both the product of recent political and administrative changes and a façade of community governance. The work's randomised controlled trial tests the idea that this inefficiency arises from an 'institutional knowledge gap': the committee members and nurses do not know the committee's (official) functioning. An information session has strengthened the committees and led to changes in health facility management in South Kivu, but not in Burundi. This difference seems to come from dissimilar management structures and people's relationships to service providers. The intervention has had no effect on service provision. The remaining chapters report on additional interventions in Burundi, which theory and qualitative research suggest might improve the effects of the knowledge intervention: trust-building between nurses and committee, information about health facility performance, and increased interaction between local leaders and committees. These are either ineffective or have unintended consequences. Overall, the thesis nuances the promises of social accountability mechanisms and stresses the importance of power relationships within basic social services.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since Burundi gained independence in 1962, this country has experienced periods of mass communal violence. Extensive scholarly research has focused on exploring the factors behind, and the nature of, the conflicts in Burundi from a socio-ethnic perspective. There has, however, been a persistent lack of attention paid to the inextricable relationship between environmental factors; particularly the scarcity of resources, coupled with rapid population growth; and Burundi‘s recent history of internal conflict. Noteworthy explanatory factors, which are often ignored in literature on the environment and conflict, have thus motivated this study. Burundi is an example of this reality because of a highly dependent agricultural economy and a constant growing population. This study used a descriptive analysis, as methodological tool; in order to gain an understanding of Burundi‘s land question - that is, how limited access to land and the constantly increasing population have led to environmental degradation, that served as motivational trigger factors for the violent political conflicts that occurred at various periods between 1965 and 1993 in this country. This study addresses this epistemological gap. In order to explore the nexus between environmental factors, land access, population growth and the political conflicts in Burundi, this study draws and builds upon Jared Diamond‘s (2005) five point framework of potential trigger factors to environmental collapse. Moreover, Diamond‘s (2005) ecocide theory argues that there are eight specific indicators to demonstrate how societies undermine themselves by damaging their own environment; thus resulting in an ecocide. This theory was applied to the two main environmental variables examined in this study. More specifically, this theoretical perspective provided a base for exploring how land issues, population growth, environmental degradation and political change can be understood as important precursors to the violent conflicts in Burundi. What may be surmised by this study; is that there is indeed a positive correlation between these forces, where the values of the independent variables (land access and population growth) are associated with the values of the dependent variable (violent conflict). This correlation, therefore, calls for an acknowledgement of the complexity of the Burundian conflicts and that ethnicity which has dominated contemporary conflict analysis is but one of several social rifts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert Burundi in 1962 onafhanklikheid verkry het, het hierdie land periodes van massa gewelddadige politieke konflik ervaar. Uitgebreide wetenskaplike navorsing het daarop gefokus om die faktore agter die gebeure, sowel as die aard van die konflik in Burundi vanuit ‘n sosio-etniese perspektief, te ondersoek. Tog word daar steeds gebrekkige aandag geskenk aan die onlosmaaklike verhouding tussen omgewingsfaktore, veral gebrek aan hulpbronne, gepaardgaande met die voortgesette bevolkingsaanwas; asook Burundi se onlangse geskiedenis van interne konflik. Noemenswaardige gapings, wat dikwels in die verklarende literatuur geïgnoreer word, het dus hierdie studie gemotiveer. Burundi is ‘n voorbeeld van hierdie werklikheid omdat die land baie afhanklik van landbou is; as gevolg van die kontstante bevolkingsaanwas in die land. Hierdie navorsing het beskrywende analise as ‘n metodologiese instrument gebruik om insig te kry oor Burundi se grondkwessie – met ander woorde hoe die beperkte toegang tot grond en ‘n toenemende bevolkingsaanwas gelei het tot die agteruitgang van die omgewing. Bostaande faktore het as motiverende sneller faktore gedien, wat aanleiding gegee het tot die gewelddadige politieke konflik, wat gedurende verskillende periodes tussen 1965 en 1993 in hierdie land ontstaan het. Hierdie studie poog dus om hierdie epistomologiese gaping aan te spreek. Ten einde die verband (nexus) tussen omgewingsfaktore, grondbesit, bevolkingsaanwas en die politieke konflikte in Burundi te ondersoek, steun en bou hierdie studie voort op Jared Diamond (2005) se vyfpunt raamwerk van potensiële sneller faktore, wat lei tot omgewings ineenstorting. Verder beweer Diamond (2005) se omgewings uitwissing (ecocide) teorie dat daar agt spesifieke aanduidings is om te demonstreer hoe gemeenskappe hulself ondermyn deur hul eie omgewing te beskadig/vernietig: wat uitloop op omgewings uitwissing (ecocide). Hierdie teorie is aangewend in die twee hoof omgewings veranderlikes, wat in die studie/ navorsing ondersoek is. Hierdie teoretiese perspektief het ook spesifiek ‘n basis voorsien om te ondersoek hoe grondkwessies, bevolkingsaanwas, omgewings agteruitgang en politieke verandering verstaan kan word as belangrike aanwysers van die geweldadige konflik in Burundi. Deur middel van hierdie studie kan ‘n duidelike opsomming gemaak word dat daar inderdaad ‘n positiewe korrelasie tussen hierdie magte voorkom, waar die waardes van die onafhanklike veranderlike (toegang tot grond en bevolkingsgroei) geassosieer word met die waardes van die afhanklike veranderlike (geweldadige konflik). Hierdie korrelasie verg dus ‘n beroep om erkenning te gee aan die kompleksiteit van konflik in Burundi. Hierdie etniese debat, wat tans die oorheersende konflik aanvuur, is maar net een van die verskeie interpretasies van sosiale breekpunte in Burundi is.

La zone tropicale connaît à l’heure actuelle une réduction catastrophique de la superficie des écosystèmes forestiers qui jouent pourtant un rôle essentiel dans la régulation climatique et qui constituent un réservoir inestimable de la biodiversité. Les causes de cette déforestation sont multiples et complexes. Même si l’agriculture constitue l’une des causes majeures de la déforestation dans la plupart des régions tropicales, l’Afrique sub-saharienne a connu des influences exceptionnelles liées aux conflits sociaux qui ont entrainé un afflux massif de réfugiés ou de déplacés internes. Au Burundi, l’instabilité sociopolitique survenue en 1993 a entrainé un déplacement massif de la population constituée essentiellement d’agriculteurs. Une partie de cette population déplacée s’est réfugiée à l’extérieur du pays tandis qu’une autre s’est retrouvée dans des camps de déplacés à l’intérieur du pays. L’objectif de cette étude est de caractériser la dynamique spatio-temporelle de l’occupation du sol au sud et sud-est du Burundi en mettant un accent particulier sur l’influence de cette migration forcée de la population. La dynamique et la biodiversité végétale de la forêt de Bururi qui est située dans ce paysage anthropisé ont également été analysées. Sur la base de 6 images satellitaires et des observations sur le terrain, cette étude montre que le sud et sud-est du Burundi est caractérisé par une augmentation de l’anthropisation au fil du temps. L’impact négatif de l’instabilité sociopolitique sur la végétation naturelle a été mis en évidence par la diminution du degré d’anthropisation au fur et à mesure que la distance aux camps de déplacés augmente. Il est également confirmé par le fait que l’anthropisation de la zone située autour des camps est plus importante pour les années qui ont suivi le déclenchement de l’instabilité sociopolitique par rapport aux années antérieures. Ainsi, les résultats de cette étude ont permis de confirmer que les camps de déplacés ont significativement contribué à la dynamique de l’occupation du sol dans cette région. La création de nouvelles parcelles agricoles ainsi que la recherche du bois de chauffe autour des camps sont à l’origine de cette forte déforestation. Cette étude montre également que la distribution d’abondances des plantes de la forêt de Bururi est conforme à la distribution log série, ce qui constitue également un indicateur de sa perturbation malgré son statut d’aire protégée. L’agrégation de certaines de ses espèces arborescentes pourrait être l’une des conséquences de ces perturbations anthropiques. En outre, la prépondérance de certains arbustes pionniers généralement indicateurs des forêts tropicales africaines secondarisées, serait un indicateur d’une perturbation anthropique récente qui pourrait être attribuée à cette instabilité sociopolitique. La mise en place d’une politique nationale de réhabilitation des anciens emplacements des camps ainsi que la restauration des espèces menacées s’avèrent par conséquent indispensables./Nowadays, tropical zones are characterized by a catastrophic decline of forest ecosystems areas which play however an important role in climate regulation and biodiversity conservation. There are numerous and complex causes of deforestation. Even if agriculture is one of the main causes of deforestation in most tropical regions, sub-saharan Africa is known to have exceptional influences related to social conflicts that led to a massive flow of refugees or internal displaced population. In Burundi, socio-political instability which occurred in 1993 also led to massive waves of displaced people, essentially farmers. A part of them fled to foreign countries whereas others were kept gathered in camps throughout the country. The present study aims to analyze the land cover spatiotemporal dynamics in south and southeast of Burundi and is particularly focused on the influence of this population forced to migrate. Dynamics and plant diversity of Bururi forest located in this anthropogenic landscape were also investigated. The study combines six Landsat multispectral satellite images analysis with fielding observations. The study highlights an increase in natural vegetation disturbance by anthropogenic activities over time. The negative impact of socio-political instability has been demonstrated by an anthropization decrease when the distance from the camps increases. It is also confirmed by a high anthropogenic pressure in the camp’s surrounding zone during the period that followed the outbreak of the socio-political instability than in previous years. This result confirms that displaced population camps have significantly contributed to the land cover dynamic in the south and southeast of Burundi. Agricultural and domestic firewood collecting activities in camp’s surrounding zone are the main causes of deforestation during instability period. The observed plant species abundance distribution in Bururi forest was found similar to the log series model which also suggests the impact of disturbance on the plant abundance distribution despite the status of this ecosystem as protected area. The spatial aggregation of some of its tree species would be considered as a consequence of anthropogenic disturbance. In addition, the observed pioneer shrubs usually characteristics of secondary African tropical forests can be considered as anthropogenic recent disturbance indicators and would be attributed to the socio-political instability impact. This study recommends the establishment of a national rehabilitation policy of those disturbed zones around the camps and restoration of endangered plant species. / Doctorat en Sciences agronomiques et ingénierie biologique / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Le contexte et le processus de fondation de la monarchie sacrée du Burundi demeurent mal connus malgré plusieurs études qui ont été déjà effectuées sur ce sujet. Le problème se situe au niveau des sources qui ont été utilisées pour étudier l’histoire lointaine de ce pays. Des sources qui sont fondamentalement légendaires, mythiques et symboliques et contiennent peu de données historiques ont été utilisées comme sources historiques et l’on a abouti à une histoire-légende et mythique. Bien que ces sources ne permettent pas de reconstituer le passé historique lointain de cette ancienne monarchie et de connaître son processus de formation sans être complétées par d’autres disciplines auxiliaires à l’histoire et confrontées à ces dernières, elles sont incontournables pour la connaissance de la mémoire, de la mentalité et de la vision générale de la vie et du monde des Barundi hier et aujourd’hui. Elles constituent une sorte de miroir et de véhicule de la pensée des anciens Barundi et montrent comment ces derniers pensaient, organisaient et vivaient le monde sur presque tous les points de vue. Leur approfondissement a permis de comprendre la mentalité populaire, l’idéologie politique de la monarchie sacrée, ses fondements socioculturels et son organisation. Le discours sur les origines du Burundi montre également la nature et le type des institutions politiques, culturelles et sociales et leur hiérarchie. Son approfondissement ainsi que celui des données diversifiées que nous avons utilisées dans cette thèse sur le plan historique, ethnographique et linguistique ont également permis de trouver que la monarchie sacrée du Burundi était une théocratie. Sur le plan général, le religieux précède, crée le politique et le supplante. La religion donne sens à la vie, de la naissance à la mort et après celle-ci. Sur le plan social, la population burundaise était subdivisée dans sa grande majorité en quatre grandes composantes sociales :les Baganwa dont la mission était l’exercice du pouvoir politique et administratif et les groupes des Bahutu, des Batutsi et des Batwa qui étaient constitués selon des critères socioéconomiques. Sur le plan familial, les Barundi étaient et sont encore subdivisés en plusieurs groupes familiaux dont les membres sont différemment répartis dans les trois catégories sociales selon leur capacité économique. Le mode de formation, d’évolution, de rejet, d’adoption de ces groupes familiaux et leur organisation montre en quoi ces derniers étaient les piliers et les supports de la vie sociale. Il montre également à quel point l’organisation des groupes familiaux est un élément essentiel pour la connaissance de l’évolution de l’histoire sociale, politique et culturelle du Burundi. / Doctorat en Histoire, art et archéologie / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished