IOM, in coordination with regional authorities and UN partners, has successfully completed a pilot evacuation programme on foot aimed at decongesting Kagunga, a small village on the Tanzania-Burundi border, currently hosting an estimated 50,000 Burundian refugees.

So far, humanitarian access to Kagunga is only possible by boat from the Tanzanian side of Lake Tanganyika. Initially two boats travelling the 60 kilometer stretch from Kagunga to Kigoma would carry 600 people on a daily basis, but that number has now risen to 1,500 as more people flee political violence in Burundi.

After their arrival in Kigoma, refugees must then cover another 170 kilometers to reach Nyarugusu refugee camp. IOM and its partners are providing transport by bus or truck from Kigoma to Nyarugusu camp, where the refugees are assisted by government and UN partners.

“The current process in Kagunga and the limited humanitarian assistance available had led to critical overcrowding, while Burundian refugees wait their turn to board a boat,” said Damien Thuriaux, IOM Tanzania’s Chief of Mission.

“At a rate of 1,500 people evacuated per day by boat, it would take over a month to clear Kagunga. A humanitarian evacuation through the walking trail could reduce the time it takes to bring these people to the safety of a camp to 15 days and is a humane alternative for people living in precarious conditions.”

Overcrowding in Kagunga village leaves many at risk, so IOM in coordination with UN partners took up the task of searching for alternatives to reduce the dependency on water transport. IOM presented a proposal for a pilot walking program from Kagunga to Mkigo to the Kigoma Regional Commissioner’s office after which IOM staff embarked on assessment of the proposed trail. On 16 May 2015 IOM staff set off together with Tanzanian security forces at 9:00 pm, walking and clearing the path that the refugees will be using. The journey took approximately nine hours.

When the IOM team reached Kagunga, they recruited 36 Burundian refugees (all males over the age of 18) to volunteer to try out the trail. On 17 May 2015, this group started the walk together with IOM staff and Tanzanian security forces at 1:00 pm and reached Mkigo within six hours.

“The spirit of the group was high during the walk and it is a viable complement to the water transport, with logistical planning, to decongest Kagunga,” said Son Ha, the head of IOM Tanzania’s sub office in Kigoma.

Following the success of the pilot walking trail many more asylum seekers are expected to embark on the journey from Kagunga to Nyarugusu. The next group to take to the trail is expected to depart on 19 May and the turnout is expected to be much higher. Once in Mkigo, asylum seekers will cover the 55 kilometer stretch to Nyarugusu refugee camp by road transport, which is currently provided by IOM in coordination with UNHCR.

IOM is the lead agency for all road transport from arrival points for people fleeing Burundi into Western Tanzania. As of May 29, it will also take over boat transportation.

It is estimated that over 105,000 people have recently fled the escalating crisis in Burundi to neighbouring countries. Tanzania is hosting the bulk of the refugees, with approximately 70,000 reported to have arrived, while 26,000 are in Rwanda and 9,000 are in the province of South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.