UNIT 13:COLONIAL RWANDA (1897 – 1962)
Key unit competence: The student-teacher should be able to assess the performance of the German and Belgian rules, the 1959 crisis and the process of the independence in Rwanda.
Introductory Activity
The 19th Century was characterized by the colonization of Africa by Europeans. In case of Rwanda, the first colonizers were Germans followed by the Belgians. Using various books written on History of Rwanda and internet, evaluate the causes of the colonization and discuss the major reforms that the Germans and Belgians have introduced in Rwanda.
13.1 German administration of Rwanda and its impact
Learning activity 13.1
By using various books and internet:
1. Discuss the causes of colonization of Africa by European countries.
2. Analyze the effects and achievements of German colonization in Rwanda.
The first German administrator of Rwanda was Captain Ramsay who arrived at Runda on March 20, 1897 under the reign of King Yuhi V Musinga. Captain Ramsay was the regional military chief of Tanganyika – Kivu whose capital at Ujiji (in Tanzania). On this occasion Captain Ramsay managed to give King Musinga a German flag as a symbol of German authority.
From 1898, Rwanda became a German protectorate. The King MUSINGA and Bethe concluded a pact on 5th March 1898 and Rwanda became the 20th province in East Africa.
13.1.1. Causes of colonization of Rwanda
German and Belgium came to colonize Rwanda because of the following reasons:
• Need of cheap labour: Especially Belgians needed a work force to cultivate their plantations in Kongo;
• Need of areas to invest their surplus capital: The Germans and Belgians needed the new areas where they could invest their surplus capital and found Rwanda as a virgin country to cater for such desire which made them to be interested in colonizing Rwanda;
• Need of markets: Germany and Belgium was among the first industrialized countries in Europe and they needed the markets for their manufactured products elsewhere outside of Europe, may be in Africa including Rwanda. This encouraged them to come and occupy Rwanda;
• Need to promote Western civilization: By coming and colonizing Rwanda, the Germans and Belgians socially wanted to promote Western civilization by making people of Rwanda modern and civilized. This developed more obsessive desire in colonizing Rwanda;
• Need to spread Christianity: The Germans and Belgians who were Christian missionaries were fascinated by colonizing Rwanda as they could spread out their religion to Rwanda as they looked it as “the best religion” in the World;
• Need to gain political prestige and glory: By the time, European countries believed that having more colonies is one way to be respected in the World. Therefore, the Germans had also this desire to acquire political prestige by colonizing more areas including Rwanda and among others;
• Green light given by the 1884 – 1885 Berlin Conference: This conference on partition of Africa had officially recognized Germany as the rightful colonial master of Rwanda. This granted and encouraged the Germans to take up Rwanda as their colony.
The German Protectorate was committed to ensure indirect rule for Rwanda, means that by this system of administration, the local traditional leaders and the culture would be maintained. The implementation of the German rule was to be attained through the two steps:
Military phase: 1897 - 1907
The first phase from 1897 to 1907 was characterized by military occupation of Rwanda. During this phase, the German government was to give support to the local leaders to suppress several insurrections. In this way, the military posts created by the German government at Shangi and Gisenyi had only the role of bringing the population in the areas under German rule and therefore under local Rwandan rule headed by King Musinga.
Civil administration phase: 1907-1916
This step started when Rwanda became a Residence and administrative services were transferred to Kigali from Usumbura, followed by the appointment of a civilian Resident called Richard Kandt. He was charged with responsibility of establishing a civilian rule in Rwanda, carrying out a census of population, raising taxes and creating a police force. In 1908, he founded Kigali as imperial residence which will become the capital of independent Rwanda.
During this phase, the German government also helped the local authorities to suppress several rebellions, markedly the rebellion of Ndungutse and his acolytes Rukara and Basebya. Ndungutse rebellion had started in the north of Rwanda towards the 1910 in the former provinces of Ruhengeri and Byumba (Buberuka, Kibali and Bukonya).
Another major event happened during this phase of civil administrators is the delimitation of Rwanda’s borders. It was on February 8th, 1910 during a conference held in Brussels between Belgium, Germany and Britain that Rwanda was limited in the northern and western frontiers. The cutting was simply done using a map.
Application activity 13.1
1. Analyze the reasons why European countries came to colonize Rwanda
2. After coming in Rwanda for the colonization purpose, the German ruled Rwanda in 2 phases. According to you, were these phases necessary? Why?
3. With the coming of Germans, Kingdom of Musinga was facing the insecurity based on power conflicts. Evaluate their role in the process of pacification of Rwanda
13.2. Rwanda under Belgian colonization (1916 – 1962)
The Belgian era includes several elements that contributed to the total transformation of Rwanda in the political, social, economic, cultural and religious areas. It is important to distinguish three major periods of the Belgian domination to Rwanda: Military occupation (1916 – 1926), Rwanda under Belgian Mandate (1926 – 1946) and Rwanda under Belgian Trusteeship (1946 – 1962).
13.2.1. Belgian military occupation and its reforms (1916 – 1926)
Learning activity 13.2.1
Using the books and internet: Analyse the social, political and economic transformations operated by the Belgian colonization in Rwanda during Belgian military occupation
The Belgians did not wait for the peace conclusions to act on the sovereignty of the conquered territories. They already had colonial experience in neighboring Congo. So, before initiating any reforms they first occupied the country militarily. The High Royal commission was created for that purpose in 1917. The first leader General Malfeyt put his residence at Kigoma. Rwanda once again fell under military regime and was divided into four military sectors namely: Gisenyi, Ruhengeri, Cyangugu and Nyanza. Because they wanted to ensure public law and order in respect for traditional institutions, they opted for indirect rule based on the German model.
a) Administrative reform of 1917 and that of 1923
From 1917, Rwanda was governed from Kigoma by a Royal High Commissioner. However, it was retained as residence and the Belgians imitated the German local policy which consisted of exploiting the authority of the local administration by making sure that they were made tools of colonial occupation. Hence the King and traditional chiefs were allowed to exercise their functions under the guidance of the new colonial authority (Belgians colonialists).
From 1923, a law was put in place to prohibit the King from appointing or dismissing a chief without the permission of the Resident Representative of the Belgian Government. In the same way chiefs and Governors of Provinces did not have the right to dismiss their subordinates.
The application of the system of indirect rule in Rwanda by the Belgian authorities was dictated by the fact that they did not have enough Belgian officials in the country.
The traditional authorities in Rwanda were charged with the responsibility of collecting taxes, mobilizing porters and workers on the local roads or tracks.
Judiciary reform of 28th April 1917
The king was stripped off the right to condemn his subjects to death and life but he kept the right to hear appeal cases. The chiefs who traditionally had the power to hear and resolve differences in the areas of jurisdiction and had the right to emit punishments saw their powers reduced. The Belgian Resident representative or even the Belgian administrator was given the right to hear appeals from such cases.
Politico-religious reform
The king was forced to sign a decree proclaiming freedom of worship. Therefore, the royal power became secular because the King had just been forced to destroy his politico-religious power. Actually, Rwandans considered the King as their unique religious leader who communicated with God through some sort of magical power and he was, for them, a source of life and prosperity for the whole kingdom.
Fiscal reform of 26th December 1924
The Belgians introduced new fiscal reform in 1924. The significant part of this reform was abolition of certain gifts:
Imponoke which consisted of cows given as gifts to a chief who had lost cattle in huge numbers.
Indabukirano which were cows given to a new chief upon assuming his duties as a new leader in an area. This gift was disguised as a form of congratulatory gift but it often amounted to an inducement to have some favors from the chief.
As for the allocation of work and services, they were fixed at two days out of seven instead of two out of five as was the case in traditional Rwanda. These measures meant that the King was losing more and more of his power to fix allocations of work and services. This naturally weakened his authority as his economic position was also somewhat neutralized. However, as compensation, the King and the Chiefs became civil servants and started earning salaries. For example, the King received a salary of 130,000 Belgian Francs per month.
Application activity 13.2.1
1. What were the concerns of the following reforms?
• Judicial reform of 1917
• Politico-religious reform
• Fiscal reform of 1924
2. Explain other reforms done in Rwanda during Belgian military occupation?
3.2.2. Rwanda under Belgian Mandate (1926-1946)
Learning activity 13.2.2
Using books and internet analyse the transformations done by the Belgian colonizers during the mandate period. Discuss how the Belgian policy introduced during this period in Rwanda led to the divisive ideology.
Amandate, in ancient Roman law refers to a contract in which one person agreed to perform a gratuitous service for another in return for indemnification against loss. After World War I, the term was applied in international law to provisions under the covenant of the League of Nations for the administration of territories formerly held by Germany and the Ottoman Empire. Between 1926 and 1931, Belgians did many administrative reforms known as Mortehan reforms. These are the following:
1. Rwanda – Burundi was joined to Belgian Congo in terms of administration. Congolese colonial law was applied to both countries.
2. Rwanda which was originally governed under 20 Ibiti or districts and pastoral fiefs or Ibikingi, was transformed into a system of chiefs and sub chiefs and territories. By 1931, the 52 “chefferies” corresponded more or less to historical traditional regions and the 544 “Sous-chefferies” were equivalent to former pastoral fiefs.
3. The functions of the three chiefs: Chief of land (umutware w’ubutaka), chief of the cattle (umutware w’umukenke) and chief of the army (umutware w’ingabo), were abolished and replaced by Tutsi chiefs and sub chiefs.
4. The chiefs from that time resided in their administrative places and not in the royal court as it was before this administrative reform.
However, the distribution of administrative responsibilities in the new structure was discriminatory because it excluded the Hutu, Twa and Tutsi of modest background in favour of the Tutsi from wellbeing families. The chiefs were in turn replaced by their sons who had graduated from the school reserved for sons of chiefs or Groupe Scolaire d’Astrida. These were considered as able to rule in a modern way. It is during this period also that the King Musinga was deposited (November, 1931) because he was opposed to the missionaries’ activities, especially to the Catholic Church. He considered Christianity as one way of undermining the kingship.
Thus, he refused to be baptized. That is why, he was dismissed and replaced by his son Mutara III Rudahigwa.
Although Rudahigwa was proclaimed a king of Rwanda, all his power felt down and became a staff of colonial administration. He occupied the 6th position in the administration of Rwanda. The King was under the Resident authority and had to report on him. He had also a contract and a salary.
Transformations under the Belgian mandate
During the Belgian mandate, Rwanda was transformed in many fields. This transformation negatively and positively affected the Rwandans and was carried out by the Belgian government in the following domains:
Economic transformation
Forced labour policy
During the Belgian colonial rule, the Belgians used cruel forced labour in Rwanda, called “Akazi”. Forced labour was mainly in plantations of the forests, carrying things, road construction, building of churches, schools and hospitals and the digging of anti-erosive ditches. With the introduction of akazi, people found themselves in a worse situation, because this work was so hard and not paid. Instead of being paid, those who didn’t perform well their tasks were bitten by the chiefs nominated by colonial masters.
The Belgian colonizers introduced also “Shiku”: This was the cultivation obliged food crops such as cassava, sweet potatoes in common plantations. People were also obliged to travel long distances to cultivate the cash crops like coffee. These were cultivated away from their homes, often near the roads where colonial dignitaries liked to pass and get a good impression. The Belgian policy of forced labour had negative effects such as famines: Rumanura (1917 – 1918), Gakwege (1928–1929) and Ruzagayura (1943– 1944) and insecurity among people.
Forced labour became so insupportable that people started fleeing it to neighbouring countries like Uganda and Tanzania in search of free and paid work.
Taxation policy
Capitation or poll tax was introduced in 1917. This was obligatory for all men adult Rwandans of sound mind. From 1931, poll tax was even more concretised. It covered more people and it was paid in form of money, depending on the welfare of each Territory.
Agriculture and animal husbandry
In this field, the Belgians intensified the cultivation of food crops like cassava, Irish potatoes and sweet potatoes in order to fight endemic famines which were ravaging the country.
They also encouraged the plantation of trees and the digging of terraces to control soil erosion.
In 1927 the colonial power put in place 3 agricultural research stations in Rwanda: Rubona (Southern Province), Rwerere (Northern Province), and Karama (Eastern Province).
In the area of animal rearing, the colonial power concentrated on higher animals like cows and goats. Research centres were established at Nyamiyaga – Songa in Southern Region Cyeru in Northern Region and Nyagatare in Eastern Region. Animal health centres were built and veterinary clinics were established in rural areas.
Mining activities
The mining activities started in 1923 while prospection had started five years before. Four mining companies in all shared the mining exploitation. These were MINETAIN (Société des Mines d’ Etain) which had deposits in Gatumba (former Gisenyi) and in Musha (near Rwamagana) and was founded in 1926.
SOMUKI (Société Minière de Muhinga et de Kigali), founded in January 1923 exploited and had deposits in Rutongo and in Nyungwe forest for the mining of gold; COREM (Compagnie de Recherche et d’explotation Minière) which was a mixed company, jointly managed by the territorial government of Rwanda – Burundi and GEORWANDA (Compagnie Géologique et Minière du Rwanda) that had big concessions in Rwinkwamvu. The main minerals were tin, Colombo tantalite, gold, wolfram and other minerals associated with tin. Some people got jobs in the mining sector employed by these mining companies.
Trade, commerce and infrastructure
In 1930, the monetary economy has been re-enforced in Rwanda due to the emerging class of salaried Rwandans who had started working in the newly created enterprises such as commercial companies, mines, civil servants working for colonial administration in plantations and in the road construction.
As for external trade, the main partners were Belgian Congo, Burundi, some European countries, Asian countries and America. Foreign companies controlled import and export business. The colonial administration only intervened in the trade of coffee which required a lot of care in order to export good quality products.
In domain of transport, three international roads were built:
• Road: Bujumbura – Bugarama – Astrida – Kigali – Rwamagana – Gatsibo – Nyagatare – Kagitumba
• Road: Bujumbura – Cyangugu – Bukavu;
• Road Bukavu – Cyangugu – Astrida.
Socio – cultural transformations
Education
Belgians introduced secular and religious education under the control of the missionaries. However, it should be noted that admission to some sections of these schools was selective for some sections (Groupe scolaire of Astrida), allowing only sons of Tutsi chiefs and other notables.
This type of education introduced was a monopoly of Christian missionaries and the main courses taught at the beginning were religion, arithmetic, reading and writing (Kiswahili, Germany and later French with the Belgians).
Secondary schools started in 1912 with the creation of the minor seminary of Kansi which in 1913 was transferred at Kabgayi. Secondary education developed in 1929 with the establishment of the “Groupe Scolaire d’Astrida”. Other secondary schools were established such as the teacher Training School in Zaza by Brothers of Charity (transferred from Kabgayi in 1944), Teacher Training School for girls at Save managed by White Sisters (1939).
Christianity
The Catholic Church dominated other churches and had in large numbers different congregations. The number of Rwandan priests increased from 5 in 1922 to 40 in 1939. The number of baptised converts also increased from 13, 400 in 1928 to 320, 000 in 1945.
Health
The medical sector was run by the Christian missions. By 1932, the colonial administration had 2 hospitals: Kigali and Astrida and 29 dispensaries. From 1933, the colonial administration conceived a new policy to replace all dispensaries with mobile “assistance camps”.
This policy was done in order to solve the problem of insufficient medical infrastructure. The private hospitals were put in place in Kigeme and Shyira by the Anglican Church and some others by mining companies like hospital of Rutongo by SOMUKI and Rwinkwavu hospital by GEORWANDA. Other Christian missionaries set up the hospitals throughout the country such as Kabgayi and Mibilizi by the Catholics; Kilinda by the Presbyterians; Gahini by the Anglicans; Ngoma – Mugonero by the Adventists
In addition, a section of training of medical assistants was opened in Groupe Scolaire of Astrida and Medical auxiliaries also opened at Astrida and 2 schools for assistant nurses at Kabgayi and in Kigali.
Introduction of identity card
In 1935, the Belgian colonial administration introduced a national identity card basing on ethnicity. The Banyarwanda who possessed 10 or more cows were registered as Batutsi, whereas those with less were registered as Bahutu and Batwa were considered not only as those with no cows but as the “pygmies” and as those who survived by pottery active ties. They measured also the height and noises. You could see two people born from same parents given identities mentioning different ethnics group (one Tutsi and another Hutu).
Application activity 13.2.2
Answer the following questions:
1. Analyse the administrative reforms introduced by Belgians in Rwanda between 1926 -1931.
2. Although Rudahigwa replaced his father Musinga as a new king of Rwanda, he was no longer a king as it was in Rwanda before the colonization. Discuss.
3. Analyse the effects of forced labours and obligatory cash crops on Rwandan people during mandate period
4. In 1932, the identity card was introduced in Rwanda and Burundi, mentioning if a person is a Hutu, Tutsi or Twa. Analyse the impact of the introduction of this identity card in great lakes conflicts.
13.2.3. Rwanda under Belgian Trusteeship (146-1962)
Learning activity 13.2.3
Using books and internet discuss and analyse the following:
1. The role played by United Nation Organizations in helping the colonies to improve the welfare of their population and to achieve the independence.
2. How did the “ Mise au point” and the “ Manifeste des Bahutu or Hutu manifesto” affected Rwandan society
3. Do any analysis and criticism on the ideology of political parties created in 1959
4. Explain the factors that led to the outbreak of the 1959 crisis.
5. The effects of the “Coup d’Etat” of Gitarama and the last stage that led to the achievement of the independence of Rwanda in 1962.
Towards the end of the World War II, the victorious nations created the United Nations Organization with principal mission of maintaining peace and security in the world. At the same time in Rwanda, the mandate regime was replaced by the Trusteeship regime but all under the Belgian authority.
It was on the 13th December 1946 that the UN and Belgium signed a Trusteeship Agreement on Rwanda and on April 29, 1946, the Belgian Parliament approved it. The Belgium was given a mission of preparing Rwanda for internal autonomy and later on independence. Belgian government had the duty to promote economic and social development as well as of the local people who would manage the country after attaining independence.
In order to help the Belgium to fulfil that mission, the UN put up a Trusteeship Council which had to send a mission every 3 years to territories under Trusteeship. The purpose of these missions was to hold consultations and examine together with the state holding Trusteeship any petition arising from the administrated population. Such missions in Rwanda were in 1948, 1951, 1954, 1957 and 1960.
Economic reform
The Belgian government elaborated a Ten Year Social and economic development Plan for Rwanda – Burundi in 1951 (From 1951 up to 1960).
Several projects were financed under this plan like the construction of schools, hospitals, dispensaries, roads, the development of marshlands and the plantation of forests.
On the side of the local authorities, the socio-economic reform done was of king On the 1st April 1954, the King Mutara III Rudahigwa abolished the socio-economic dependence system based on the cow or Ubuhake by the royal decree, with the objectives of liberating the pastoral clients (Abagaragu) who used to spend much of their time working for their patrons (shebuja); and to encourage private initiatives and to force cattle keepers to reduce the number of cows to manageable and profitable size.
Political reforms
Under the period of Belgian Trusteeship, there were two political reforms introduced by the Belgian administrators:
1. The first reform was introduced on May 4, 1947. It was the creation of a Conseil du Governement du Ruanda-Urundi. The council comprised 22 members, 5 of whom were Belgians including the governor, 2 resident representatives and 2 Belgian state agents. The rest 17 members were said to represent other foreigners living in Rwanda – Burundi.
2. By the decree of 14th July 1952, the Belgian government established the “Conseil de sous-chefferie” (council of sub - chieftaincy), the “Conseil de chefferie (council of chieftaincy)”, the ‘‘Conseil duTerritoire (council of Territory)” and the ‘‘Conseil Superieur du Pays( High council state).”
On February 22, 1957, a memorandum called “Mise au point” was prepared by the “Conseil superieur du pays” and addressed to the UN Trusteeship mission to Rwanda and to the Belgian administration.
This document was critical of the colonial power. It talked about discrimination based on colour, the monopoly of the missionary led education which was of questionable quality and finally demanded more representation of Rwandans in the political administration of their country.
To the “Mise au point”, the Belgian authorities mobilised an elite group of the Hutu to write another memorandum in counter attack; which they named “Le Manifeste des Bahutu” (“Hutu manifesto) or ‘Note sur l’aspect social du problème racial indigène au Rwanda’’. The issued on March 24, 1957. They protested against the monopoly of power by the Tutsi and against all social injustices and through this situation, the colonial power had created a “Hutu – Tutsi” conflict which had never existed before and later would become an obstacle in the unity of Rwandans.
It was in that climate of great confusion and misunderstandings between the King and his former allies (Colonial administration and the Catholic Church officials) that the Belgian government authorised the creation of the political parties in 1959. Some of them are Union Nationale Rwandaise (UNAR). The Rwanda National Union Party officially formed on the 3rd September 1959. Created by President was Francis Rukeba supported by the king Mutara, Rassemblement Démocratique du Rwanda (RADER) (The Rwanda Democratic Assembly) founded by Bwanakweri Prosper to support the colonial administration and the Catholic Church, Parti du Mouvement pour l’Emancipation Hutu (PARMEHUTU) formed on October 1959 and officially launched as a party on the 18th October 1959 with Grégoire Kayibanda, as its President.
We cannot also forget the Association pour la Promotion Sociale de la Masse (APROSOMA) founded on the 1st November 1957 by Joseph Habyalimana alias Gitera and became a Political party on February 15, 1959, AREDETWA founded by Laurent Munyankuge from Gitarama, APADEC founded by Augustin Rugiramasasu. ABAKI (Alliance des Bakiga) and many others.
Application activity 13.2.3
1. What is the impact of 10 years social- economic plan introduced by Belgians in 1951?
2. The political reforms introduced by Belgian colonizers in Rwanda in 1952 failed. Discuss.
13.2.4. The 1959 crisis in Rwanda
Learning activity 13.2.4
1. Analyze the causes of 1959 crisis a part from the beating of Mbunyumutwa Dominique
2. Evaluate the effects of 1959 crisis in Rwanda in particular and in great region in general.
Many political parties had the divisive ideology, based either on region or ethnic group. On November 1st1959, Mbonyumutwa Dominique, a member of PARMEHUTU, (who was a chief of Ndiza), was beaten by a young Tutsi.
Mbonyumutwa Dominique who has been the 1st President of Rwanda
This led to the open violence from the 1st to 7th November 1959 in Gitarama against the Tutsi and the members of UNAR. It was sparked off by the members of PARMEHUTU and APROSOMA from Byimana in Marangara and spread to Ndiza, Gisenyi, Ruhengeri, Kibuye and Nyanza.
The violence had mainly the following effects:
1. The houses of Tutsi and Hutu members of UNAR were burned and destroyed systematically. There were arbitrary arrests, imprisonments and assassinations.
2. Many Tutsi were killed (at least 200 people), internally displaced and became refugees in neighbouring countries like in Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and Belgian Congo (almost between 150.000 and 200.000 people)
3. The 20 chiefs were dismissed and 150 sub-chiefs were replaced by the members of PARMEHUTU assisted by Colonel Guy Logiest.
Since November 25, 1960, the administrative reforms were introduced by Colonel Logiest:
• The general governor changed the title and became general resident. The sectors or sub-chiefdoms were reduced from 544 to 229 and they were known as communes and communal elections were prepared.
• The chiefdoms were abolished and the 10 territories became prefectures headed by the préfets.
• The “Conseil supérieur du pays” (High Council of the state) was dissolved and replaced by a Special Provisional Council comprising 8 members from 4 political Parties: RADER, PARMEHUTU, UNAR and APROSOMA. This Special provisional council was formed on February 4th, 1960. King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa could not hide his hostility for that council because it actually substituted his powers.
From 26th June to 30thJuly, 1960, communal elections took place with the following results: PARMEHUTU got 70.4% corresponding to 2, 390 communal councillors, APROSOMA got 7.4% corresponding to 233 communal councillors, RADER got 6.6% corresponding to 206 communal councillors and UNAR got 1.8%, as almost all his members were fled the country and others killed.
By these elections, PARMEHUTU had 166 Bourgmestres, 21 were from APROSOMA, 7 were from RADER and 17 were from other different political parties. UNAR had only one Bourgmaster.
According to those results, PARMEHUTU was declared winner. UNAR protested these results along with the king Ndahindurwa. In July, 1960, king Kigeli V Ndahindurwa went to the Belgian Congo to meet the UN Secretary General and to attend Congo’s independence celebration. After these ceremonies, the Belgian minister in charge of Rwanda – Burundi issued order prohibiting king Ndahindurwa from returning to Rwanda.
On October 26, 1960, a provisional government was put in place by the resident general. It was composed of 10 Rwanda ministers and 9 Belgian state secretaries. On the 25thJanuary, 1961, the resident general conferred upon these institutions the powers of autonomy.
Application activity 13.2.4
1. Do you agree that the 1959 crisis happened because Mbonyumutwa was simply beaten? Explain your answer!
2. Analyze the effects of 1959 crisis on Rwandan people
13.2.5. The “coup d’Etat” of Gitarama
Learning activity 13.2.5
Do you thing that Belgians played a role during the preparation of the coup d’Etat of Gitarama? Explain your answer.
On the 28th January, 1961, the famous “Coup d’Etat of Gitarama” took place. At that time, a meeting took place in a market in Gitarama in which about 2,900 councillors and bourgmestres took part. These people were elected from PARMEHUTU and APROSOMA political parties. With the complicity of the Belgian government, they proclaimed the following decisions:
1. The abolition of the monarchy and the kingdom emblem, the royal emblem drum Kalinga and Ubwiru institution.
2. The proclamation of a republic and the election of the first president, Mr. Mbonyumutwa Dominique.
3. The formation of a government made up of 11 ministers with Grégoire Kayibanda as prime minister.
4. Creation of a supreme court.
On the February 1961, the Belgian Trusteeship recognised that regime and transferred the power of autonomy to them. A new tricolour flag of Red, Yellow and Green was exhibited. On September 25th 1961, legislative elections and a referendum were organised and were won by PARMEHUTU. It was declared that majority of voters had voted ‘‘No’’ against the monarchy and the person of King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa. On the second of October 1961, the legislative assembly was put in place. Grégoire Kayibanda was elected President of the Republic by the Legislative Assembly headed by Joseph Habyalimana Gitera. On the 1st July, 1962, independence was recovered to Rwanda; the Belgian flag was replaced by the Rwandan flag.
Application activity 13.2.5
Analyze the outcomes of the “Coup d’Etat” of Gitarama.
Skills lab
Reading different sources of information related to the colonial period of Rwanda, examine the strategies adopted by Rwandans to search how to recover their independence and provide suggestions on what Rwandans can do in present days so as to preserve and improve that independence.
End unit assessment
Answer the following questions:
1. Why European countries came to colonize Africa?
2. Explain the circumstances under which the Belgian Rule was established in Rwanda.
3. Identify the political, economic, social and socio – cultural performance of the Belgians in Rwanda during mandate.
4. Explain the causes and the effects of 1959 crisis in Rwanda.
5. Describe the different steps that led to achievement of independence in Rwanda.
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