Rwandan Dictators Use Regional Rivalries Besides Ethnicity to Divide, Kill and Rule: Case of Habyarimana

By David Himbara

Voice of America (VOA) Kinyarwanda/Kirundi service has been airing a series of documentaries on the coup d’état that shook up Rwanda on the July 5, 1973. Presented by Venuste Simon Nshimiyimana, VOA reporter and presenter based in London, the series are known as Murisanga, Rwanda 1973. These VOA documentaries teaches us one major lesson – namely that Rwanda is not only characterized by ethnic rivalries and violence between Hutu, Tutsi and Twa. There are also rivalries within each group that lead to violence and deaths. The July 5, 1973 coup d’état was a Hutu versus Hutu violence, with Hutu from northern Rwanda overthrowing and murdering Hutu from southern Rwanda.

This was not the first time a Rwandan ethnic group turned on its own members and murdered its leaders. Back in 1896, Rwanda’s King Musinga acceded to power as a young teenager after a palace coup murdered King Rutarindwa and his family, the original successor to King Rwabugiri. The 1896 coup d’état was Tutsi on Tutsi violence led by Queen Kanjogera, widow of Rwabugiri and Musinga’s mother. The overthrow and murder of Rutarindwa, his family, and followers was organized by members of the Bega clan which sought to eliminate the Banyiginya ruling clan.

Rise of Gregoire Kayibanda, Accumulation of Power in his Home Region, and Regional Rivalries within the Hutu Community

Still under Belgian colonial rule, Rwanda underwent a revolution that ended Tutsi monarchy in 1961. At the head of this change was Gregoire Kayibanda who established and led Parti du Mouvement de l’Emancipation Hutu (Parmehutu). The goal of Parmehutu was emancipating the Hutu community. Kayibanda was elected president on October 26, 1961.

By 1965, Kayibanda had made himself a dictator to the extent that Parmehutu was the only legal party in Rwanda. In that year, Kayibanda appeared alone on the ballot for presidential elections. Kayibanda was once again the only candidate in 1969. In both elections, a single list of Parmehutu candidates was returned to the legislature. Kayibanda was by winning presidential elections by nearly 100 percent.

Kayibanda changed the constitution in 1973, extending the presidential term from 4 to 5 years, and eliminating the age limit of 60 years so he could stay in power. Meanwhile, Kayibanda concentrated power in the hands of people from his home region of Gitarama in southern Rwanda which led to intense North-South rivalries. Kayibanda was accused of having progressively marginalized people of northern Rwanda.

General Juvénal Habyarimana Led a Brutal Coup Against Kayibanda

On July 5, 1973, defense minister General Juvénal Habyarimana overthrew Kayibanda in a military coup. Although often characterized as bloodless, the coup pretty much murdered the entire ruling Hutu elite from southern Rwanda, including cabinet ministers, senior officials, lawyers and businessmen close to the Kayibanda regime, were executed. Habyarimana held Kayibanda and his wife near Kabgayi where they were starved to death in 1975.

Habyarimana and the military executioners who Led the Overthrow and Killing of Kayibanda and the Southern Ruling Elites

General Habyarimana executed a military coup d’etat against Kayibanda on July 5, 1973. In plotting and murdering Kayibanda and the ruling elite from Gitarama, Habyarimana was supported by senior military officers, including the following:

1. Alexis Kanyarengwe;
2. Aloys Nsekalije;
3. Bonaventure Buregeya;
4. Sabin Benda;
5. Laurent Serubuga;
6. Bonaventure Ntibitura;
7. Aloys Simba;
8. Fabien Gahimano;
9. Epimaque Ruhashya;
10. Jean Nepomuscene Munyandekwe;
11. Theoneste Lizinde (read high command communique on radio Rwanda).

The Victims of the Habyarimana Coup D’etat

The ruling Hutu elite from southern Rwanda, including cabinet ministers, senior officials, lawyers and businessmen close to the Kayibanda regime, were systematically murdered. First and foremost, Kayibanda was placed under house arrest until his death with his wife in 1975. The following ministers, members of parliament, senior public servants, military officers and businessmen were imprisoned and murdered:

1. Munyaneza Augustin, Minister,
2. Bizimana André, Minister;
3. Harelimana Gaspard, Minister,
4. Nyilibakwe Godefroid, Secretary of State;
5. Minani Froduald, Minister;
6. Nzanana Fidèle, Minister;
7. Kaberuka Emmanuel, Ambassador;
8. Ndahayo Claver, Parliamentary Secretary;
9. Mbarubucyeye Athanase, Executive Secretary MDR Parmehutu;
10. Niyonzima Maximilien, Regional Party secretary;
11. Ntalikure Elie, Permanent Secretary;
12. Hodali Alipe, Secretary to President;
13. Kanani Aminadab, President, Ruhengeri court of appeals;
14. Munyandamutsa Philippe President Appeals court of Kigali;
15. Gakire Jean, Permanent SecretaryKalisa Narcisse, Permanent Secretary; Ndandali Gaspard, Administraor, BNR;
16. Muvunankiko Gérard, MP;
17. Misago Mathias, MP;
18. Shumbusho Franҫois, Director General;
19. Ugirashebuja J. Eric, Director General;
20. Bizindoli Louis, Director OTRACO;
21. Mivumbi Damien, Director General;
22. Ndahimana Stanislas, Director General;
23. Nyamwasa Gallican, Military officer;
24. Twagirayezu Aloys, Military OfficeZihinjishi Oscar, Military Officer;
25. Niyoyita Dominique, Military Officer;
26. Bisabo Aloys, Military Officer;
27. Habimana Mathias, Military Officer;
28. habimana siridion, Military OfficerMuganimfura Aphias, MP;
29. Ntirushwa Siridio , MP;
30. Nubashyimfura Charles, MP;
31. Nyabuhene Fidèle, MP;
32. Ndutiye Justin, MP; Mporanyi prosper, Intelligence;
33. Turatsinze Désiré, Director, Caise d’Epargne Saving bank;
34. Ntaganzwa Alexandre, Director;
35. Ms. Kabarenzi Agnès, civil servant;
36. Kanakuze Omar, Trader;
37. Gasamunyiga Melchior, Director General, Office of the President;
38. Kabandana Pierre Celestin, no known profession;
39. Sebagabo Athanase, Schools inspector;
40. Twagirayezu Epimaque, Intelligence;
41. Musabe Jules-Simon, Diplomat;
42. Bizimana Isaie, Civil Servant Caisse Sociale;
43. Semanyenzi alfred, Civil Servant, Minstry of Agriculture;
44. Twagirimana Boniface, civil Servant, Ministry of Agriculture;
45. Bitsinduka Alphonse, occupation unknown;
46. Mbaraga Augustin, occupation unknown;
47. Ndakebuka Godefroid, occupation unknown;
48. Niyibizi Canisius, occupation unknown;
49. Nkurunziza Cyprien, occupation unknown;
50. Nsanzishuli David, occupation uunknown.

What of General Paul Kagame, and what does the Future Hold?

General Paul Kagame and his Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) are unique in unleashing violence against all communities in Rwanda. He is on record refusing the role in Rwanda of United Nations Intervention Force during the Genocide against Tutsi in 1994. Kagame stands accused by the United Nations for having committed possible genocide against Hutu refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Meanwhile, Kagame sends death squads overseas to kill his opponents, whether Hutu or Tutsi.

The main lesson here is that while Rwanda dictators wear ethnic labels, these tribal labels are meaningless. All Rwandans suffer regardless of the ethnicity of the rulers. When ethnicity does not serve the individual dictators, they invent other tools to divide and rule Rwanda. Kanjogera used clan to murder fellow Tutsi while Habyarimana used regionalism to massacre fellow Hutu. Kagame is an equal is an equal opportunity eliminator who does not spare Tutsi or Hutu perceived to threaten his power.