According to Lt Col (Rtd) Nyirimanzi, after the Belgian authorities killed King Musinga, Rudahigwa desperately pleaded with them to release his father’s body for a dignified burial.
Despite offering a substantial sum of money, Belgium callously refused his request and instead transported the remains to Europe.
Lt Col (Rtd) Nyirimanzi shared these historical details on February 10, 2025, during a commemoration event for the employees of the National Bank of Rwanda who were tragically killed in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
He provided context by explaining Belgium’s initial colonial strategy in Rwanda, which involved fostering ethnic divisions. Initially, the Belgians favored the Tutsi population as the dominant group but later shifted their support to the Hutu, a manipulative tactic to consolidate their control.
Lt Col (Rtd) Nyirimanzi emphasized that this shift in Belgian allegiance coincided with the growing aspirations for independence in the 1960s, a sentiment echoing across the African continent at the time.
Consequently, the Belgians began to champion the Hutu, portraying them as the ascendant group.
Rudahigwa’s ascension to the throne following his father King Musinga occurred during this period of transition.
Musinga, known for his staunch opposition to Belgian rule, faced conflict with the colonizers, ultimately leading to his exile and death in Moba, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in 1944.
Following his father’s dethronement and exile, Rudahigwa became king, largely due to his ability to engage and negotiate with the Belgian administration.
Lt Col (Rtd) Nyirimanzi recounted Rudahigwa’s determined efforts after Musinga’s death in 1944 to repatriate his father’s body for a proper burial in Rwanda.
He revealed Rudahigwa’s pleas and his offer of a significant payment to the Belgians.
“When Musinga died in Moba in 1944, Rudahigwa did everything he could to bring his father back, saying, ‘I want to return my father’s remains; given you will no longer be affected by his actions since he passed away.’ They told him, ‘The money required is too much, you won’t be able to get it.’ He replied, ‘Just let me try, maybe I will fail to raise it but I can at least try,’ and they said, ‘Then get the money’,” Lt Col (Rtd) Nyirimanzi stated.
He further explained Rudahigwa’s efforts to secure the necessary funds, stating that the king approached leaders of various territories to request financial assistance to bring his father’s remains home. Despite successfully raising the required amount, the Belgians still refused to release the body.
“He eventually got the money and paid them, but instead of giving him his father’s remains, they transported it over the sky of Rwanda and sent it to Europe,” Lt Col (Rtd) Nyirimanzi continued.
The historian also highlighted that beyond the denial of his father’s burial, Rudahigwa himself faced increasing hostility from the Belgians due to his leadership in the growing independence movement.
This resistance ultimately led to Rudahigwa’s assassination in 1959. He was lured to Bujumbura under the pretense of preparing for an overseas trip, where he was poisoned through a conspiracy involving his personal Belgian doctor.
Rudahigwa’s assassination was part of a broader strategy by Belgium to maintain their control over Rwanda by eliminating influential leaders who opposed their colonial rule.
In 2017, former Vice President of the Senate, Gakuba Jeanne d’Arc, publicly called upon relevant authorities to actively work towards the repatriation of King Yuhi V Musinga’s remains to Rwanda.
King Musinga reigned from 1896 to 1931 and was succeeded by his son, Mutara III Rudahigwa, who played a pivotal role in Rwanda’s struggle for independence.
Musinga’s reign was characterized by his resistance to Belgian colonial authority, which ultimately resulted in his deposition and exile. Rudahigwa was later succeeded by his brother, Kigeli V Ndahindurwa, the last monarch of Rwanda.
During the commencement of the 100-day commemoration of the 31st anniversary of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi on April 7, 2025, Rwanda’s Minister of Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr. Bizimana Jean Damascène, underscored Belgium’s significant and detrimental role in Rwanda’s history, which ultimately contributed to the Genocide.
Dr. Bizimana emphasized that Belgium’s actions in promoting ethnic divisions and suppressing Rwandan leaders, including the assassinations of both King Musinga and his son Rudahigwa, constituted a profound betrayal that deepened the suffering of the Rwandan people.
Dr. Bizimana lamented that no other African nation had witnessed the killing of two successive monarchs, a father and son, by colonizers in such regrettable circumstances.
Following Rudahigwa’s death, Belgium further entrenched ethnic divisions by supporting the creation of the Hutu-dominated political party, Parti démocratique de l’unité et du progrès (Paremehutu), which played a significant role in fueling the ethnic tensions that tragically culminated in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
<
