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63-532: The party was founded by Grégoire Kayibanda in June 1957 as the Hutu Social Movement , a party of Hutu nationalists who fought for the emancipation of the "oppressed" Hutu majority. It was renamed on 25 September 1959, and dominated the local elections in 1960, winning 2,390 of 3,125 elected communal council seats and 160 of 229 burgomasters . In 1961, parliamentary elections were held alongside

126-515: A de facto republic. Republican ideals also gained limited traction among some Hutu politicians in Burundi. In the lead up to the September 1961 elections, political violence between PARMEHUTU, APROSOMA, and UNAR members killed hundreds of people and led thousands to flee their homes. The elections and the referendum on the monarchy were held on 25 September. PARMEHUTU won nearly 80 percent of

189-578: A referendum on the Tutsi monarchy of Mwami Kigeri V . MDR-Parmehutu won 35 of the 44 seats in the Legislative Assembly , whilst the referendum saw the end of the monarchy. Kayibanda appointed a government of Hutus, and became president after independence in July 1962. By 1965, it was the only legal party in the country, and the 1965 elections saw Kayibanda run unopposed for the presidency and

252-511: A President of the Republic. After the vote split along regional lines for Kayibanda, Gitera, and Balthazar Bicamumpaka, the body selected Mbonyumutwa as a consensus candidate. It also elected a new 44-member Legislative Assembly, with 40 persons being from PARMEHUTU and four from APROSOMA. The crowd then asked Kayibanda to form a new government. By 7:00 p.m. a 10-member cabinet was agreed upon with Kayibanda as Prime Minister. A supreme court

315-498: A campaign of repression, leading to the assassination of 20 PARMEHUTU and APROSOMA leaders—including Gitera's brother, the arrest of hundreds of Hutus, and creation of a militia. A UNAR militia attempted to attack Gitera's home near Astrida before being dispersed by the colonial gendarmerie. The Belgian administration flew in reinforcements from the Belgian Congo and initiated a full intervention. Led by Colonel Guy Logiest ,

378-508: A coup to secure the Hutus' position. On 28 January 1961 Hutu politicians met in the town of Gitarama and declared the dissolution of the monarchy and the creation of the "Republic of Rwanda". They then created a new government with Dominique Mbonyumutwa as president and Kayibanda as prime minister. The new regime indicated its willingness to remain under Belgian supervision and expressed its desire to meet with Belgian and UN officials. In turn,

441-608: A former secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization , became the Minister of Foreign Affairs and assumed the portfolio for African Affairs. The new government adopted a policy of closer cooperation with the UN to improve its image and attempted to more closely supervise the colonial administration. While the question of the monarchy had yet to be decided via the referendum, Rwanda operated as

504-463: A military coup. Although described as bloodless, as a result of the coup, an estimated 55 people, mostly officials, lawyers or businessmen close to the previous regime, were reportedly executed. The families of these people were given sums of money to pay for their silence. The new government held Kayibanda and his wife in a secret location (rumored to be a house near Kabgayi), where they were reportedly "starved to death". Coup of Gitarama In

567-422: A political ally, came second with 233 seats while UNAR won only 56 contests. PARMEHUTU's victory was partially overstated by UNAR boycotts at the polls and by the regional divisions which existed in the party. Having superseded the outmoded chiefdoms and initially having unclear limits placed on their power, the new burgomasters enjoyed considerable authority. The Belgian attitude towards UNAR hardened further with

630-584: A political amnesty be declared before national legislative elections were held. In early 1961 the Belgian metropolitan government reversed course, stating that it would abide by the recommendations of the UN, whereby elections would be delayed, separate referendums would be held on the existence of the monarchy and the issue of independence, and a more broad-based provisional government would be installed. Hutu politicians were infuriated by this decision, and Kayibanda met with Logiest to ask for his support in organising

693-685: A pro- Western , anticommunist foreign policy. Rwanda enjoyed cordial relations with the Republic of China , while strongly criticizing the People's Republic of China 's policies in Africa . Kayibanda's government adopted a generally neutral stance on the Arab–Israeli conflict and the Vietnam War . In the presidential elections of 1973 a project promulgated on 18 May was presented, the duration of

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756-530: A republican form of government. Rwanda became independent from Belgium in 1962, with Kayibanda serving as the country's first president, establishing a pro-Hutu policy and a de facto one-party system governed by his party, Parmehutu . He was overthrown in a coup d'état in 1973 by his defense minister, Juvénal Habyarimana , and died three years later. Kayibanda was born on 1 May 1924 in Tare, Rwanda . He studied his primary school at Tare then at Kabgayi. Kayibanda

819-464: A single list of Parmehutu candidates was returned to the legislature. The 1962 constitution of Rwanda, enacted by Kayibanda's regime, proscribed communist activities and propaganda as Belgian settlers conditioned the gain of independence to the rejection of Communism, in the era of the iron curtain. The UNAR party threatened to turn their back on the Belgians and adhere to communism. Kayibanda pursued

882-586: A system of indirect rule that strengthened the Mwami's position, the Belgian colonial administration undermined the monarchy, promoted Christianity , and centralised governance under their direct rule. Administratively, Ruanda was largely managed from the city of Usumbura in Urundi, where the Governor of Ruanda-Urundi resided. As part of their rule, the Belgians institutionalised a racial hierarchy which favoured

945-538: Is academic consensus that the coup was achieved with complicity of Belgian officials. Political scientist René Lemarchand wrote in 1970, "Although the evidence is admittedly lacking, there seems little question that the metropolitan government did co-operate on on fairly close basis with the Residency in planning the coup […] if nothing else, the Special Resident must have received unofficial assurance from

1008-604: The Ministry of African Affairs that Brussels would not interfere with the course of action upon which the Hutu leaders were about to embark, no matter how serious the legal implications." In contrast, international studies scholar Aya Tsuruta wrote in 2017, "A careful reading of the NARA documents reveals that it is not entirely correct to say that Belgium unanimously supported the coup, as some Belgian ministers were seemingly unaware of

1071-525: The Rwandan Revolution , the coup of Gitarama ( French : coup d'etat de Gitarama ) was an event which occurred on 28 January 1961 in which the monarchy in Rwanda , then a part of the Belgian mandate of Ruanda-Urundi , was abolished and replaced with a republican political system. The traditional monarchy was led by a Mwami (king), who ruled through an administration of chiefs and subchiefs in

1134-597: The UN General Assembly issued a resolution on 20 December, calling for the return of Kigeli and the refugees, the institution of a political amnesty, and the postponement of the legislative elections until Ruanda had experienced a process of national reconciliation. In 1961 the Belgian administration officially renamed Ruanda-Urundi as Rwanda-Burundi. In early January 1961 delegates of political parties from Rwanda and Burundi met in Ostend, Belgium . No decision

1197-486: The United Nations General Assembly on 18 September. Kayibanda was elected president on 26 October. Over the next three years, Kayibanda increased his power step by step. By 1965, Parmehutu was the only legal party in the country. At elections held that year , Kayibanda appeared alone on the ballot for president. He was reelected in 1969 , again as the only candidate. In both elections,

1260-522: The Belgian colonial administration announced that it would work with the new Rwandan government. A new government in Belgium was formed in April and it adopted a policy of closer cooperation with the UN to improve its image and attempted to more closely supervise the colonial administration. While the question of the monarchy had yet to be decided via the referendum, Rwanda operated as a de facto republic. In

1323-505: The Belgian forces put down most of the violence by 14 November. As a result of the violence, 21 Tutsi chiefs and 332 subchiefs were forced out of office and over the following months more than 300 Hutus were appointed to replace them. At the same time, Hutu leaders began to reconsider their previous positions of calling for intensive reform in favor of abolition of the monarchy and republicanism . In early December Harroy removed Preud'homme and appointed Logiest in his place. Later that month

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1386-415: The Belgian metropolitan government decreed that Logiest and Harroy could veto any of the Mwami's decisions or depose him if deemed necessary. The elections scheduled for January were also delayed until June, giving PARMEHUTU more time to organise. In January 1960 Logiest declared "[W]e must undertake an action in favour of the Hutu, who live in a state of ignorance and under oppressive influences. By virtue of

1449-479: The Congo. The United Nations mandates, the Tutsi elite class, and the Belgian colonists contributed to the growing social and political unrest. Gregoire Kayibanda, an ethnic Hutu, led the Hutu "emancipation" movement. He founded the political party Parmehutu ( Parti du Mouvement de l'Emancipation Hutu ; Hutu Emancipation Movement Party), and wrote his " Bahutu Manifesto " in 1957. In reaction, in 1959 Tutsis founded

1512-462: The Hutus. A small Hutu counter-elite began to form after World War II , and its members began to promote an ideology known as Hutu Power , which challenged Tutsi-minority domination of Ruanda as an exploitation of the majority by foreigners. One of the new leaders was Grégoire Kayibanda , who in 1959 founded the Parti du Mouvement de l'Emancipation Hutu (PARMEHUTU), a political party which called for

1575-466: The Masses) initially campaigned for the interests of all impoverished people regardless of ethnicity but in response to UNAR's declarations it increasingly pushed for "Hutu liberation". The Belgians began to show favour towards the staunchly Catholic and anticommunist Hutu elite, as the Tutsi elite and UNAR became more aligned with anticolonialism and socialism. Political tensions rose dramatically after

1638-515: The Tutsis at the expense of the Hutus. The Belgians supported racial theories which held the Tutsis to be of superior, non-African origin and entrusted them with privileged access to education and administrative positions, while most Hutus were relegated to economic subservience to help Belgian businesses. Following World War II , the Ruanda-Urundi mandate became a trust territory subject to

1701-562: The UNAR party, made up of those who desired immediate independence for Ruanda-Urundi based on the existing Tutsi monarchy. This group also became quickly militarized. Skirmishes began between UNAR and PARMEHUTU groups. Kayibanda's successful campaign brought the majority Hutu to power for the first time in Rwanda. In 1961 the Rwandan monarchy was dissolved and a brief transitional administration

1764-402: The administration. On 1 November nine members of UNAR's youth wing assaulted Dominique Mbonyumutwa , a Hutu subchief who had refused to sign a letter protesting the transfer of the three chiefs. Mbonyumutwa fought off the youths and returned home, but rumours of his death spread and in the subsequent days a Hutu mob drove out the incumbent Tutsi chief of Ndiza District and elevated Mbonyumutwa to

1827-511: The contests. The municipal elections involved the election of a burgomaster and a council to oversee each of Ruanda's communes, administrative units that would supersede sub-chiefdoms. From these, an indirectly elected Legislative Council would be formed, which would exercise joint legislative authority with the Mwami, though the colonial administration would retain a de facto veto over their decisions. The elections were overwhelmingly won by PARMEHUTU which secured 2,390 local offices. APROSOMA,

1890-571: The context of a feudal system of patron-client relations based on tribute . The Mwami and most of his chiefs were members of the Tutsi ethnic minority, a group which wielded considerable social, political economic power based on ownership of cattle. Of subordinate status to the Tutsis was the Hutu ethnic majority, a group of people largely associated with farming. While the Germans had tended to favor

1953-411: The context of a feudal system of patron-client relations based on tribute . The Mwami and most of his chiefs were members of the Tutsi ethnic minority, a group which wielded considerable social, political economic power. Of subordinate status to the Tutsis was the Hutu ethnic majority. As part of their rule, the Belgians institutionalised a racial hierarchy which favoured the Tutsis at the expense of

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2016-417: The coup and that he hardly reported on the affair to the metropolitan government. The telegram also stated that the Belgian government was considering recalling Harroy because of his actions, but this never occurred. Belgium officially denied any involvement in the coup, but the UN was nevertheless angered by the events which had transpired. On 1 February the Belgian colonial administration announced that, in

2079-425: The coup, Mbonyumutwa embarked upon a three-week-long goodwill tour of the country to demonstrate that he had taken the symbolic place of the Mwami. UNAR was left marginalised by the events and ultimately split into a domestic wing determined to participate in the elections and an exile wing that rejected the legitimacy of Rwanda's political system. A new government in Belgium was formed in April, and Paul-Henri Spaak ,

2142-456: The creation of the political parties, and Colonel Guy Logiest was brought in by the colonial administration to maintain order. In 1960 the colonial administration hosted municipal elections which were won by PARMEHUTU, and set up a provisional national government in accordance with the results while barring Mwami Kigeli V Ndahindurwa from the country. The United Nations protested the situation, and demanded that Kigeli be allowed to return and

2205-435: The creation of the political parties, leading Governor of Ruanda-Urundi Jean-Paul Harroy to ban further political meetings and order the reassignment of three chiefs who were UNAR leaders. The chiefs refused to leave their jurisdictions and rallied crowds to their cause to protest. Mwami Kigeli V Ndahindurwa , a young monarch who had only inherited the throne in July, sided with the chiefs, troubling relations between UNAR and

2268-567: The end of World War I in 1918, the victorious states partitioned the colonies of the defeated German Empire . Belgium was awarded the mandate of Ruanda-Urundi —two conjoined territories in East Africa—under the auspices of the League of Nations . Within Ruanda there existed a traditional monarchy led by a Mwami (king). The Mwami ruled through an administration of chiefs and subchiefs in

2331-582: The end of Tutsi domination of social life and rejected anti-European hostility and supported gradual democratisation. At around the same time, conservative Tutsi created the Union Nationale Rwandaise (UNAR), a party which demanded immediate independence under the Tutsi monarchy. The Belgians began to show favour towards the staunchly Catholic and anticommunist Hutu elite, as the Tutsi elite and UNAR became more aligned with anticolonialism and socialism. Political tensions rose dramatically after

2394-464: The establishment of the "democratic and sovereign Republic of Rwanda". The crowd responded with applause and several cheers of "Vive la République!" Kayibanda then addressed the crowd in French. He repeated Gitera's proclamation, initiating more applause. A new national flag of red, yellow, and green was also introduced. The local officials then proceed to act as a constituent assembly , electing

2457-468: The government, while Belgian administrators continued to work and advised the ministers of the new regime. Despite this, the Belgian government never recognised the Gitarama constitution and indicated that it had no binding force. For their part, the Rwandan leaders never widely published the constitution and continued to accept and implement the colonial administration's legislative decisions. Following

2520-414: The independence of the Congo, as its members forged links with the left-leading Mouvement National Congolais . Kigeli went to Léopoldville , the capital of the Congo, in July and was denied permission to return to Ruanda by the Belgian administration. On 26 October 1960 the Belgian administration established a provisional government in Ruanda on the basis of the results of the summer contests. Kayibanda

2583-486: The interest of avoiding civil disorder, it would give de facto recognition to the new regime. One colonial official stated, "If Kayibanda had not done this, there would have been a lot of trouble, and the United Nations would have had an even bigger mess to answer for." The Belgian metropolitan government also expressed its willingness to meet with leaders of the new regime. PARMEHUTU leaders exerted control over

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2646-424: The lead up to Rwanda's legislative elections, political violence killed hundreds of people and led thousands to flee their homes. The elections and the referendum on the monarchy were held on 25 September. PARMEHUTU won nearly 80 percent of the vote, and the population also voted overwhelmingly in favor of abolishing the monarchy. Rwanda became an independent state with Kayibanda as president on 1 July 1962. Following

2709-479: The majority by foreigners. One of the new leaders was Grégoire Kayibanda , a former seminarian. In October 1959 Kayibanda founded the Parti du Mouvement de l'Emancipation Hutu (PARMEHUTU, Party of the Hutu Emancipation Movement), a political party which called for the end of Tutsi domination of social life and rejected anti-European hostility and supported gradual democratisation. At around

2772-537: The monarchy, and finished by asking, "What will be the solution given to the problem of the monarchy? When shall we abandon the realm of the 'provisional'? It is incumbent upon you, burgomasters and councilors, representatives of the Rwandese people, to answer these questions." Gitera followed, speaking in Kinyarwanda . He declared the abolition of the monarchy and its regalia—including the royal drum—and proclaimed

2835-424: The northern and northwestern parts of the country. Gr%C3%A9goire Kayibanda Grégoire Kayibanda (1 May 1924 – 15 December 1976) was a Rwandan politician and revolutionary who was the first elected President of Rwanda from 1962 to 1973. An ethnic Hutu , he was a pioneer of the Rwandan Revolution and led Rwanda's struggle for independence from Belgium , replacing the Tutsi monarchy with

2898-710: The oversight of the United Nations Trusteeship Council . Belgium remained responsible for administering the territory but under these new arrangements was officially obligated to provide for the "political advancement" of its people. A small Hutu counter-elite began to form in the post-war era, consisting of persons who had been granted access to education and publications through the Catholic Church . The new elites began to promote an ideology known as Hutu Power , which challenged Tutsi-minority domination of Ruanda as an exploitation of

2961-562: The party win all 47 National Assembly seats. Under the Parmehutu rule, Tutsis were severely discriminated against, persecuted, and repeatedly massacred, leading to hundreds of thousands of Tutsi fleeing the country. The 1963 Tutsi massacres were described by Bertrand Russell as "the worst since the Holocaust "; in 1967 another 20,000 Tutsi were killed. In the July 1973 coup , Kayibanda

3024-434: The possibility of a coalition government including UNAR now likely, Kigeli made plans to return to the country. Hutu politicians and the colonial administration were infuriated by this decision, which was made by the metropolitan government. On 25 January Harroy declared that he was ceding internal autonomy to the provisional government, maintaining that this was necessary to prevent unrest by tempering Hutu disappointment with

3087-501: The possibility of a coup, or, at least, they had disagreements with the local administration." A telegram from the United States Embassy in Belgium reported "it is apparent [that the] Belgian administration [in] Ruanda (specifically Harroy) undoubtedly connived at January 28 'coup d'état' without consulting Brussels." According to the report, Belgian Foreign Office officials maintained that Harroy seemed responsible for

3150-456: The post. Hutu mobs then engaged in violence across the country, burning and pillaging Tutsis’ homes. The Belgian administration struggled at first to contain the disorder, prompting Mwami Kigeli to request permission to raise a militia to put down the brigandage. Harroy and the Resident of Ruanda , André Preud'homme, denied the request. On 7 November Kigeli and other Tutsi chiefs went ahead with

3213-449: The postponement of the elections. In his 1988 memoirs, Logiest wrote that on 25 January Kayibanda met with him. According to this account, Kayibanda stated that Hutu leaders were worried about the UN resolutions—which favored the Tutsi leadership—and thus they wanted "to organize a big coup which will convince Usumbura and Brussels that the games are done and for that we need your help." Logiest wrote, "I could not possibly support him in

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3276-449: The presidential term of Kabiyanda was extended from 4 to 5 years, and the age limit of 60 years was eliminated. With North-South regionalist rivalries, President Kayibanda's regime was accused of having progressively dismissed the political leaders of the north and of concentrating power in the hands of the nationals of his native prefecture, Gitarama. On 5 July 1973 defense minister Major General Juvénal Habyarimana overthrew Kayibanda in

3339-402: The rebellious act, but I could not refuse to support him, either […] I promised to help him in organising the meeting to protect the public's welfare, host the delegates, to prepare for the place where it would be held and providing the speakers." Minister of Interior Jean-Baptiste Rwasibo called for a national meeting of local elected officials, ostensibly to discuss the maintenance of order in

3402-545: The same time, conservative Tutsi created the Union Nationale Rwandaise (UNAR, Rwandese National Union), a party which demanded immediate independence under the Tutsi monarchy. Other parties such as the Rassemblement Démocratique du Rwanda (RADER, Democratic Rally of Rwanda), a moderate grouping, were created but failed to gain popular traction. Joseph Gitera's Association pour la promotion sociale de la masse (APROSOMA, Association for Social Promotion of

3465-513: The situation were are obliged to take sides. We cannot stay neutral and sit." In March 1960, a UN delegation visited Ruanda to assess the country's progress towards independence. The major political parties encouraged street demonstrations, which deteriorated into fresh outbreaks of violence, during the UN visit. Tutsi homes were burnt in view of the delegation, leading them to declare in April that Belgian plans for June elections were unworkable. Belgium disregarded this advisement and proceeded with

3528-413: The upcoming elections before independence. Early in the morning on 28 January 1961, trucks began bringing communal councilors and burgomasters to the town of Gitarama . A total of 3,126 local officials were ultimately assembled. The group met in the town market to hear a series of speakers. About 25,000 people gathered nearby to watch. The first to speak was Rwasibo. He delivered a long speech critical of

3591-533: The vote—an improvement since July 1960—while UNAR came second with 17 percent and APROSOMA and RADER secured an inconsequential share. The population also voted overwhelmingly in favor of abolishing the monarchy. In October the PARMEHUTU-dominated Legislative Assembly selected Kayibanda to succeed Mbonyumutwa as president. Rwanda became an independent state on 1 July 1962. A new constitution was adopted but it reflected some of

3654-479: Was admitted in Saint Léon Minor Seminary of Kabgayi in 1937. After the completion of minor seminary in 1943, he continued to Major Seminary of Nyakibanda where he studied for four years. The Hutu majority had long been resentful of power held by the Tutsi minority. They were encouraged by Hutu advocates in the Catholic Church , and by Christian Belgians, who were increasingly influential in

3717-565: Was also formulated and an 80-article republican constitution, inspired by the Constitution of France and those of French colonies, was promulgated. The declaration of the republic sparked mass demonstrations of support across the country, particularly in PARMEHUTU bastions. The new regime indicated its willingness to remain a trust territory under Belgian supervision and expressed its desire to meet with Belgian and UN officials. There

3780-493: Was appointed head of the government. The Legislative Council was organised and Gitera was elected its president. It was also announced that formal elections for a Legislative Assembly would be held in January 1961. Faced with diminishing domestic prospects of success, UNAR petitioned the UN to intervene, requesting that it ensure the repatriation of the Mwami and refugees of the 1959 violence and oversee new elections. In response,

3843-540: Was led by Dominique Mbonyumutwa . Rwanda became independent at midnight on 1 July 1962. Kayibanda spoke at ceremonies later that day to commemorate the occasion, thanking the people who had contributed to the country's independence. He also thanked the work of the Belgians, Germans, and United Nations in developing the country. He said, "Though the Belgians made some mistakes here, the net result of their effort has been most positive," and appealed to them and other countries for technical aid. He led Rwanda's first delegation to

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3906-581: Was ousted by his cousin Major-General Juvénal Habyarimana who, like other leaders from Rwanda's north ( abakonde ) felt marginalised by the Southern-dominated Parmehutu regime. The Parmehutu party was suspended and was officially banned two years later when Rwanda became a one-party state under Habyarimana's new National Revolutionary Movement for Development (MRND), which was dominated by Hutu from

3969-533: Was reached on whether the two lands should remain unified, but legislative elections for Rwanda were scheduled for 23 January. On 21 January Belgium reversed course. It stated it would abide by the recommendations of the UN General Assembly, whereby elections would be delayed until June, separate referendums would be held on the existence of the monarchy and the issue of independence, and a more broad-based provisional government would be installed. With

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