Speaking candidly on The Long Form podcast about the ethnic violence that shaped his youth and the resilience that propelled him forward, Dr. Biruta offered a rare glimpse into the experiences that forged his commitment to a unified and stable Rwanda.<\/p>\n
Born in 1958 in Rulindo District, Dr. Biruta was just a year old when the 1959 violence against the Tutsi ethnic community erupted, setting the stage for decades of sectarian strife. <\/p>\n
Reflecting on his childhood, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs recalled, \u201cAs a young child, I heard my parents and visitors talk about violent events: destroyed properties, relatives in exile. It made me aware that I was growing up in an unstable, unsafe environment. You understood you were a target for violence.\u201d <\/p>\n
This early awareness planted the seeds of a political consciousness that would later define his career.<\/p>\n
The turning point came in 1973 when, at age 15, Dr. Biruta was expelled from Kabgayi Seminary, where he was attending secondary school, during the ethnic purges.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were expelled on April 15, I believe,\u201d he recounted. \u201cI went home, planning to go into exile in Zaire on July 6. But on July 5, the borders closed due to a curfew, so I couldn\u2019t leave.\u201d <\/p>\n
The thwarted escape\u2014narrowly averted by chance\u2014kept him in Rwanda, where he later returned to school despite the odds. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was fortunate to be accepted back, though I had to repeat a year. Not everyone was so lucky,\u201d he added, underscoring the precariousness of those times.<\/p>\n
His pursuit of education faced steep hurdles due to Rwanda\u2019s discriminatory policies against Tutsis. \u201cDiscrimination limited Tutsi access to public schools,\u201d he explained. <\/p>\n
At Kabgayi Seminary, the Catholic Church provided an alternative. <\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t necessarily want to be a priest\u2014it was my only chance at secondary education. I took exams for both public schools and seminaries to maximize my chances.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Church sought bright students, and Dr. Biruta qualified: \u201cIf you met academic and Christian criteria, you could get in. I was fortunate to be accepted.\u201d <\/p>\n
After surviving the 1973 expulsion, he graduated from secondary school in 1978 and applied to the National University of Rwanda\u2019s Faculty of Medicine. <\/p>\n
\u201cMedical school wasn\u2019t the most popular choice\u2014it was tough, six years with four terms annually, unlike law or economics, which were shorter and led to better-paying jobs,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut they selected the best science students from secondary schools. I was lucky to be accepted.\u201d <\/p>\n
His motivation was both practical and idealistic: \u201cI\u2019d wanted to be a doctor since I was young\u2026 by a desire to serve the community and work independently, not reliant on government goodwill. The 1973 events also lingered; I thought medicine would help me integrate if I went into exile.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Biruta graduated in September 1984, but even then, discrimination persisted. \u201cThe best graduates were typically selected as assistants at the university hospital, with opportunities for specialization. Despite qualifying, I and other Tutsi colleagues were sidelined and sent elsewhere,\u201d he recounted. <\/p>\n
Assigned to Byumba Hospital, he began his career as a doctor, later rising to director of Ruhengeri District Hospital in 1988.<\/p>\n
The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi once again put his survival instincts to the test. Living in Kigali\u2019s Kimihurura neighbourhood near the parliament, Dr. Biruta narrowly escaped death and was ultimately rescued by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which ended the genocide and liberated the country from the genocidal government.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was rescued on April 8 by RPF soldiers,\u201d he said. \u201cThey came to our houses\u2014I recognized them and opened the gate.\u201d The rescue came amid chaos, just days after the genocide began. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey weren\u2019t looking only for me; they were saving people in that area,\u201d he clarified. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe stayed at parliament, later moving to Byumba at the war\u2019s end.\u201d <\/p>\n
Reflecting on his survival, he remarked, \u201cI was not arrested in 1990, I managed to relocate from Ruhengeri on February 6, 1993, two days before an RPF attack, and I was at home when the plane of President Habyarimana went down. It\u2019s just fortune.\u201d <\/p>\n
His family, too, was spared, though he kept his fears private: \u201cYou don\u2019t show your children you\u2019re anxious\u2026 but I\u2019d tell my wife, \u2018X, Y, Z have been arrested. If I\u2019m taken, know where the money and food are, and move.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
After the liberation of the country, he played a pivotal role in rebuilding Rwanda\u2019s health system and the PSD, eventually rising to its presidency in 2001. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe identified surviving members uninvolved in the genocide, formed a political bureau, and rebuilt,\u201d he noted, highlighting the painstaking effort to restore both party and nation.<\/p>\n
Today, as a cabinet minister and party leader, Dr. Biruta balances immense responsibilities with a quiet pragmatism. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to find time for all these aspects, prioritizing what the country has entrusted you with,\u201d he said of his dual roles. <\/p>\n
Defending Rwanda\u2019s consensus-driven governance model against critics who call it a one-party state, he argued, \u201cOur constitution\u2026 reflects our history and culture\u2014not the U.S. or Norway. Results\u2014like development\u2014prove it works.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, Dr. Biruta remains optimistic yet vigilant. \u201cI\u2019m excited by Rwanda\u2019s development path\u2014achieving more, faster,\u201d he said, though he cautioned, \u201cI worry about our region\u2014conflicts and leadership challenges could slow us.\u201d <\/p>\n
His story, from a child marked by violence to a leader shaping Rwanda\u2019s future, embodies resilience and purpose\u2014a narrative he hopes will inspire the nation\u2019s youth.<\/p>\n
Watch the full interview on The Long Form Podcast below:<\/p>\n