By Arthur Bizimana  

At the foot of the Mugara hill, in the commune and province of Rumonge, in Burundi’s southwest, two fractured stones spew hot water that gives off steam. Surrounded by a giant tree known as ‘Umuhona’, the thermal waters of Mugara are channelled into the pool. However, the further down they go, the more the steam dissipates. Despite being hot, locals and tourists love the thermal waters of Mugara for their therapeutic and relaxing properties. 

Nyandwi Chantal, manager of the Mugara tourist site, says that the number of tourists increases at weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) and decreases on working days. “On weekends, the site hosts more than 100 local and international tourists, while on working days it welcomes around 50 tourists.”

The legend 

Although the thermal waters of Mugara are currently attracting many tourists, this has not always been the case. “Before the arrival of the Swedish missionaries in 1933, the local population was afraid of the Mugara marshes, which were home to the thermal waters,” explains Ndayisaba Alexis, aka Bonne Idée, a resident of Mugara Hill and massage service provider at the Mugara tourist site.   

Asked by Swedish missionaries when they settled in Mugara in 1933 about the origin of the steam rising into the sky, the local people replied: “The swamp is home to water spirits and large wild animals like the lion. They light the fire and cook, which is the origin of the steam,” narrates Ndayisaba.

According to anthropologist Dr. Jean Bosco Manirambona, a research lecturer at the University of Burundi, any phenomenon that Burundians in the past could not understand fell within the realm of ibisigo (water spirits). That’s why they used to say that the swamp was home to water spirits.

Accompanied by local people and Congolese interpreters, the Swedish missionaries went to investigate this phenomenon. They discovered that it was thermal water. 

This happens when “rainwater infiltrates the fractured rocks until it reaches a level close to the earth’s crust, but is forced back to the surface because of the enormous heat of the magma,” explains Dr Pascal Nkurunziza, hydrogeologist and lecturer at the University of Burundi.  

The thermal waters of Mugara lie within the Kagera Basin. In this basin, the total surface area of the aquifer is estimated at 6,300 square kilometres, of which 1% is in Burundi, 13% in Rwanda, 22% in Uganda and 64% in Tanzania.

According to the Nile Basin Initiative’s technical report, fractured consolidated rock is one of the areas with the greatest potential for groundwater. Dr Pascal Nkurunziza lists 27 thermal springs in Burundi. 

Mugara thermal waters today 

Since realising that it is not the water spirits that haunt the marsh, local communities have used the thermal waters for other activities, and even for prayers. Nkurunziza for example notes that the tree known as “Umuhona”, which stands at the source of the thermal waters, marks the indelible traces of the Ukubandwa – a traditional cult led by the main priest called Kiranga – who is believed to be the intermediary between men and God in Burundi. 

According to traditional beliefs, the thermal waters cure sterility, stimulate and increase libido, are energising and increase the chance of finding a spouse for those who are struggling to find one, says Ndayisaba Alexis Bonne Idée. “We have seen Tanzanians and Congolese testify that they found what they wanted after taking a bath in the thermal waters of Mugara,” he adds. 

According to Dr. Nkurunziza, thermal waters contain high concentrations of mineral elements and even trace elements that the body needs and which, by osmosis, can penetrate the human body. So; “if we have deficiencies, we can get them from these thermal waters.”

Though the commune has developed the Mugara tourist site, Kazuguru Gabriel, a resident of Mugara Hill, complains that the swimming pool is not big enough for the growing number of tourists. “Sometimes the tourists wait at the gate for the others to come out. If the high dignitaries come to bathe, we are denied access on the grounds that we can’t bathe with them,” he narrates. 

At this site, both males and females bathe from the same place, while free access for local residents is restricted to nighttime – otherwise one pays like other tourists.

Nyandwi Chantal, who is in charge of the Mugara tourist site, admits that men and women take a bath in just one pool- which is not big enough but also notes that plans to have two separate pools are underway. 

 At this popular tourist destination, trade in different items including edibles is booming – much to the benefit of local business communities. 

Jacqueline Nkeshimana, a consultant in environmental economics and tourism, says that the country earned 154 million Burundian Francs (BIF) from the thermal waters of Mugara between 2019 and 2023. The projection for 2024-2025 is 112 million BIF.

Thermal waters: victims of climate change

Unlike other water sources, which drop and even dry up during the dry season, thermal water remains constant during both the dry and rainy seasons, confirms Ndayisaba Alexis.

According to Ndayisaba, during the dry season, when the sun is shining, the thermal waters are not very hot. He says this is because the sun rays neutralise the steam, adding that It’s only during the rainy season, when there are no sun rays that the thermal waters of Mugara are hot and give off a lot of steam. 

Citing the World Climate Research Programme coupled with the analysis of the impact of climate change on the Kagera Basin, the Nile Basin Initiative technical report shows that the Kagera Basin will experience an increase in precipitation, temperature and potential increase in evapotranspiration. 

“Average surface temperatures are projected to increase by 1ᴼC to 4ᴼC by 2100. The sun will also neutralise the steam and heat from the thermal waters,” explains Dr. Nsabimana.

To preserve the thermal waters, Ndayisaba Alexis is calling on the government to reforest the hills overlooking the source of the Mugara thermal waters. At present, they are surrounded by palm oil plantations, which exposes the thermal springs to erosion. He recalls that the first thermal water source was abandoned due to erosion pollution.

The Nile Basin Initiative’s technical report highlights the importance of such groundwater sources but also raises the conservation challenge of preventing groundwater contamination from anthropogenic sources.

For Ndayisaba, the government should also develop the infrastructure that attracts so many tourists, in particular hotels, roads and hospitals, so that those who come to this place enjoy their stay. 

This story was produced with support from NBI Secretariat (Nile-Sec), which, in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented a program across the Nile Basin focused on shared groundwater aquifers. The project’s goal was to improve water resource management at both the national and basin levels.

The first phase concentrated on building knowledge and capacity for the sustainable use and management of significant transboundary aquifers within the Nile Basin. Three aquifer areas were selected for intervention: the Kagera aquifer shared by Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi; the Mt Elgon aquifer shared by Uganda and Kenya; and the Gedaref-Adigrat aquifer shared by Sudan and Ethiopia. These aquifers are located in various climates, including arid, semi-arid, and tropical regions.

Initially, the phase involved gathering existing data and creating a Shared Aquifer Diagnostic Report (SADA) for the three selected aquifers. The subsequent phase engaged in groundwater modeling to enhance understanding of the aquifers and analyze scenarios based on changes in climate and groundwater use.