Burundians boycott beer over high prices

At least 477 Burundian civil society organisations and labour union confederations that have been engaged in a campaign against the high cost of living have called on people to boycott drinks brewed by the Burundi Brewery Company (BRARUDI) on Monday and Tuesday, their spokesman told Xinhua on Sunday.“We have invited people living in Burundi to stay away from pubs and not to drink beer or soft drinks brewed by BRARUDI tomorrow (Monday) and after tomorrow (Tuesday) in their homes because we want to urge the Burundian government to reduce prices of BRARUDI drinks,” saidNoel Nkurunziza, spokesman of the organizations and chairman of the Burundi Consumers’ Association (ABUCO). “We have also requested pub owners not to open their pubs during the two days,” he said.People who have social events requiring sharing drinks scheduled during the two days of boycott have been requested to reschedule them.“This is a warning to show people living in Burundi that prices of essential food commodities will keep rocketing if we don’t urge the government to reduce them,” said Noel Nkurunziza.He said the recent increase of BRARUDI drinks has impacted on prices of other essential food commodities whose prices also increased. On July 26, 2012, the Burundi Brewery Company (BRARUDI) increased prices of beer and soft drinks by up to 4.4 percent.“The increase of prices of BRARUDI drinks has annulled the decision of the Burundian president lifting taxes on food products and this is materialised by prices of food products which have again rocketed,” said Nkurunziza. On May 1, 2012, Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza lifted taxes of food items imported from the East African Community (EAC) states.