Pasteur Bizimungu

Pasteur Bizimungu (* 1950 in Gisenyi ) is a Rwandan politician . He was President of Rwanda from July 19, 1994 to March 23, 2000 .

Bizimungu belongs to the Hutu caste . During the Hutu regime, which controlled Rwanda until the 1994 genocide , he held a number of significant positions, including the post of general director of the national electricity company, Electrogaz. After he was considered a supporter of President Juvénal Habyarimana in the 1980s, he later always distanced himself from the radical Hutu and the politics of Habyarimana.

After his brother, a colonel in the former Hutu-dominated army, was probably murdered on the orders of the Hutu government, he joined the rebellious Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in 1990 , a majority supported by Tutsi from exile , who were dissatisfied with the government Tutsi movement, on. After Habyarimana's death, the Hutu leadership became even more radical and started genocide, prompting the RPF to expand its struggle to take power in Rwanda. In July 1994 she was able to establish a government and RPF leader Paul Kagame was elected vice president . Bizimungu was named president, so both Hutu and Tutsi were represented by the government.

During Bizimungu's tenure, many believed that real control came from Kagame. Bizimungu, vice chairman of the RPF, sensed growing differences with the government over his policies alongside emerging conflicts with Kagame. He resigned in March 2000 and Kagame became president.

In May 2001, Bizimungu founded the Party for Democracy and Renewal (PDR). It was immediately banned by Kagame, allegedly because the Rwandan government believed it was a radical Hutu party. Bizimungu was arrested on April 19, 2002 for continuing the party, charged with endangering the state and placed under house arrest. On June 7, 2004, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to set up a militia and embezzlement.

After being pardoned by Paul Kagame, he was released on April 6, 2007.

supporting documents

1. ↑ http://www.jeuneafrique.com/jeune_afrique/article_depeche.asp?art_cle=AFP83157libraugnumi0 AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), April 6, 2007