Despite clear legal requirements, multiple employees of Burundi Cleaning Company (BCC) allege widespread violations of labor laws, including failure to provide written employment contracts and the non-subscription of the workers to the National Social Security Institute (INSS). A recent investigation by Shikiriza sheds light on what some workers call a « culture of silence » driven by fear of job loss.
Burundi’s labor code mandates that employers issue employment contracts and declare employees to the INSS within eight days of hiring. These measures aim to ensure basic protections such as health coverage and retirement benefits. However, testimonies collected in Bujumbura suggest that some BCC workers have been employed for years without formal registration or adequate documentation.
“I was hired before 2010, but my INSS record shows I only started in 2018,” said a female cleaner interviewed at her workplace.
She confirmed that raising concerns about INSS subscription often results in immediate dismissal. “We’re afraid to speak up. Many of us prefer to stay quiet rather than risk losing our jobs,” she added, explaining that approximately 10 years of her contributions are missing from the INSS system.
Another employee, visibly distressed, said he worked for five years without a contract.
“In my sixth year, they gave me a one-year contract for the first time,” he said. When he visited the INSS office to verify his status, he discovered he was never registered.
“I’m fighting just to feed myself. It feels like no one in this country cares,” he lamented.
A third employee described being reassigned to a new position after a previous contract ended.
Nearly a year into the new role, he still has no written job contract and remains uncertain whether he’s been subscribed to INSS.
“I haven’t checked at INSS yet. I’ve just been waiting,” he said.
Shikiriza attempted to contact Jeanne Muhimpundu, the owner and director of BCC, for a comment on all the allegations. She declined to comment directly, citing health issues, and referred the inquiry to her colleagues within the company. However, those contacted chose not to respond to the specific allegations.
Employees assigned to external organizations by BCC also report a lack of proper protective equipment, despite official claims.
“The company promises to provide items like gloves, protective shoes, and face masks, but we never receive them,” one cleaner said.
“We only get what we need to keep their clients’ workplaces clean—uniforms, brushes, and cleaning agents.”
Under Burundi’s labor code, every employment contract—whether fixed-term or open-ended—must be written in a language the employee understands. It is also the employer’s legal responsibility to ensure timely INSS subscription, a fundamental right linked to workers’ social security benefits.