This powerful clique, primarily composed of Habyarimana’s in-laws and closest confidants, maintained a tight grip on the nation’s economy, military, media, and key decision-making bodies throughout his regime.
While the Akazu’s pivotal role in orchestrating the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi is widely acknowledged, Andrew Wallis’s book, “Stepp’d in Blood: Akazu and the Architects of the Rwandan Genocide Against the Tutsi,” sheds light on their disturbing involvement in international cocaine trafficking.
Wallis suggests that Dian Fossey, the renowned American conservationist who dedicated her life to studying mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, may have stumbled upon this illicit network. Her mysterious death in 1985 has long been speculated to be connected to her opposition to the illegal exploitation of the park, which had become a significant route for smuggling gold, gorillas, and cocaine destined for Paris, France—a time when Presidents Habyarimana and François Mitterrand of France enjoyed close diplomatic ties.
The cocaine, reportedly originating from Guatemala, was trafficked through Côte d’Ivoire into Rwanda and then handed off to a businessman from Rhode-Saint-Genèse, Belgium.
This individual, who had secured a contract to supply satellite dishes in Rwanda, allegedly used this business as a cover for laundering the profits generated from the smuggling operations. The illicit cargo was transported through the seemingly impenetrable Volcanoes National Park before being exported to Europe.
Adding another layer to this intricate web, Jean-Pierre Habyarimana, the president’s son, reportedly introduced a Guinean entrepreneur named Mamadou “Barry” into Rwanda.
Despite a string of failed business ventures at the young age of 22, Barry quickly became a close confidant of Agathe Kanziga.
Following Fossey’s controversial death, Barry launched tourism initiatives aimed at revitalizing Rwanda’s international image, including the ambitious “International Fair for the Protection of Gorillas in Rwanda,” which initially attracted celebrity interest but ultimately collapsed in disarray.
The event proved to be a spectacular failure, prompting the newspaper Isibo to publish a mocking article directly targeting President Habyarimana’s son.
The controversy deepened when Christophe Mfizi, then Director of ORINFOR (the Rwandan Information Office), publicly declared that the fair had resulted in massive financial losses. Despite significant state funding and contributions from private partners who had anticipated returns, the event yielded no success.
Subsequently, then-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Casimir Bizimungu, accused Barry—the Guinean national behind the ill-fated event—of embezzling over one million U.S. dollars.
In a dramatic turn, Barry resurfaced by penning an open letter directly to President Habyarimana, alleging that a high-ranking official had pressured him into loading cocaine onto a private European aircraft, which was purportedly intended to transport foreign experts arriving in Rwanda.
In this explosive letter, Barry explicitly named Twahirwa Seraphin, a cousin of Agathe Kanziga (Habyarimana’s wife), as playing a pivotal role in orchestrating the cocaine shipment. Twahirwa was reportedly overseeing the financial aspects of the event organized by Habyarimana’s son.
Barry claimed that Twahirwa had promised him a substantial sum of $50,000 for each successful drug shipment. Although Twahirwa vehemently denied these accusations, Barry returned to Kigali and was accommodated at the Meridien Hotel for a week, with his $5,000 bill inexplicably footed by the state.
Simultaneously, the government instructed its media outlets to clear Barry’s name regarding the embezzlement allegations. According to Wallis’s research, Barry later departed Rwanda for the United States carrying a staggering $400,000 in cash, allegedly obtained through a clandestine collaboration with President Habyarimana’s son.
Adding to the intrigue, a journalist from Jeune Afrique who had been diligently investigating the murky details surrounding the event organized by Barry, Seraphin, and Habyarimana’s son—an event that was also slated to include a lottery with a grand prize of 5 million Rwandan francs—was abruptly expelled from Rwanda as a direct consequence of his persistent inquiries.
Wallis further details how Ruhengeri—governed with an iron fist by Protais Zigiranyirazo, Agathe Kanziga’s influential brother—operated as a virtually autonomous region, serving as a key conduit for smuggled goods flowing from then-Zaire into Europe. The area became a notorious hub for illegal trade and offered political protection to those involved.
Fossey’s unwavering commitment to preserving the park for conservation, rather than allowing it to be exploited for profit, directly clashed with the Akazu’s vested interests. The illicit trade in baby gorillas, for instance, could yield exorbitant profits of up to $30,000 per animal, while severed gorilla body parts like hands and heads commanded high prices on the black market.
Meanwhile, the majority of ordinary Rwandans endured significant economic hardship and lived under a pervasive climate of fear, unable to challenge the unchecked power of the ruling elite. Zigiranyirazo himself allegedly exploited bamboo from the park—a critical food source for the endangered gorillas—for his personal enrichment.
When Mfizi became aware of Zigiranyirazo’s exploitative activities, he tasked a journalist with conducting an investigation. The resulting article was prepared for publication in the Imvaho newspaper. However, Augustin Nduwayezu, the head of intelligence, attempted to suppress its release under direct orders from Zigiranyirazo. Mfizi bravely refused to comply and wrote directly to President Habyarimana, informing him of the pressure he was facing and the planned exposé.
Despite never receiving a direct response—likely due to the intervention of Colonel Elie Sagatwa, a known ally of Zigiranyirazo— Mfizi maintained the article would be eventually published, unless he received a different version from Zigiranyirazo.
Mfizi strongly suspected that Sagatwa deliberately blocked his letter to protect the powerful Akazu members implicated in the illegal activities.
The Akazu’s insidious grip on Rwanda extended far beyond mere political control. Their deep and pervasive involvement in illicit trade, their ruthless silencing of dissenting voices, and their blatant manipulation of state resources created a deeply entrenched system of impunity, widespread corruption, and profound fear.
This toxic environment not only significantly contributed to the horrific 1994 Genocide but also subjected ordinary Rwandan citizens to years of exploitation and immense suffering.
