3. Gitega, Burundi
Gitega is the capital city of Burundi. The city has a population of 135,467 and is the administrative capital of the country. Gitega was only recently made the capital of Burundi, and so it is yet to overtake Bujumbura as the commercial capital and most popular city in the country. Nevertheless, the city has much potential as It lies on a broad plateau, not far from the confluence of the Ruvyironza and Rurubu Rivers. Gitega is not far from Ruvubu National Park, which is the country’s biggest National Park.
The economy of Gigeta is supported by the presence of government institutions. Tourism is an important economic activity; the Ruvubu National Park receives several thousand visitors yearly. The informal economy, including street trading, transport services, and cleaning contributes a lot to the overall economy of Gitega and the country at large. The economy is quite poor; it is unable to sustain the airport which has now shut down. Gitega has a lot of potentials; food processing is one area of particular interest because the majority of the people are subsistence farmers. Goat herding has been promoted for the potential to bring a large number of people out of poverty. In a few years, a good amount of meat eaten on the continent can come from Burundi, thus improving the economy of Gitega.