King Mutara III Rudahigwa was a remarkable figure in Rwanda’s history, known for his leadership, modernization efforts, and commitment to his people’s welfare.
He ascended to the throne at the young age of 18, becoming the country’s third Mwami (otherwise known as king).
King Mutara III Rudahigwa was a visionary leader who sought to bring modernization to his country while also preserving its cultural heritage.
At a towering height of six foot nine, King Mutara III Rudahigwa was an impressive figure who reigned over the Kingdom of Rwanda for 28 years.
He assumed the throne in 1931 and made history as the first Rwandan king to be baptized and convert to Roman Catholicism.
His religious beliefs were a significant influence on his reign, and he worked tirelessly to bridge the divide between the traditional customs of his people and the modern world.
During his reign, he introduced several reforms that aimed to modernize Rwanda’s economy, education system, and healthcare.
He established a centralized government and made efforts to improve the country’s infrastructure, including building roads and hospitals.
He also played a key role in establishing the University of Rwanda, the first institution of higher learning in the country.
King Mutara III Rudahigwa was also a strong advocate for Rwandan independence and played a pivotal role in the country’s political evolution.
In 1956, he led a delegation to Belgium to negotiate for greater political autonomy for Rwanda.
His efforts eventually led to Rwanda’s independence in 1962, after his untimely death.
However, despite his numerous achievements, King Mutara III Rudahigwa reign was cut short when he died suddenly in Bujumbura, Burundi.
His death was a shock to the Rwandan people, who mourned the loss of their beloved king and national hero.
In this article, we will delve into the life and legacy of King Mutara III Rudahigwa, exploring his contributions to Rwanda and the impact of his untimely death.
We will examine his vision for Rwanda, his leadership style, and his lasting impact on the country.
We will also explore the events leading up to his death and the impact it had on Rwanda’s political landscape.
Early Life of King Mutara III Rudahigwa
King Mutara III Rudahigwa, also known as Charles Mutara III Rudahigwa, was born in March 1911 in the royal capital of Rwanda, Nyanza, to King Yuhi V Musinga and Queen Kankazi.
The birth of King Mutara III Rudahigwa in 1911 coincided with a chaotic period in Rwandan history.
His father, King Yuhi V Musinga, had recently assumed power when German forces arrived in Rwanda, followed by the “Missionnaires d’Afrique” (the “White Fathers”) and eventually Belgian rulers.
Musinga opposed the Belgian rule in Rwanda, which included the trashing of Rwandan culture and a disregard for the monarchy as a governing system.
This hostility between the King and the Belgian colonial rule ultimately led to his deposition in 1931 and the ascension of his son, King Mutara III Rudahigwa Charles Leon Pierre, to the throne.
As a member of the Tutsi Abanyiginya clan, he began his education at the Colonial School for Chiefs’ Sons in Nyanza in 1919, and later became his father’s secretary in 1924.
After being appointed as a chief in January 1929, he administered a province, marking the start of his journey towards assuming the throne of Rwanda.
In 1931, he ascended to become the King (umwami) of Rwanda, becoming the first Rwandan monarch to embrace Roman Catholicism and be baptized.
His reign was characterized by efforts to reconcile traditional Rwandan customs with modernity.
Reign of King Mutara III Rudahigwa
King Mutara III Rudahigwa ascended to the throne in 1931, after his father, King Yuhi V Musinga, was deposed by the Belgian colonial administration on allegations of contact with German agents.
Mutara III Rudahigwa became the third king of Rwanda and the first Rwandan king to convert to Catholicism, taking the Christian name Charles Léon Pierre in 1943.
Rudahigwa’s father had refused to convert to Christianity, leading to strained relations between the Rwandan Catholic Church and the monarchy.
The church perceived Musinga as an obstacle to their civilizing mission, which aimed to assimilate Rwandans into European values and customs.
Rudahigwa had been secretly instructed in Christianity by Léon Classe, the head of the Rwandan Catholic Church, since 1929, and was groomed by the Belgians to replace his father.
In 1946, Mutara III Rudahigwa dedicated Rwanda to Christ, effectively making Christianity a state religion. This dedication spearheaded a wave of baptisms in the protectorate.
Mutara III Rudahigwa’s reign was characterized by a deepening connection between the Rwandan monarchy and the Belgian administration.
During his reign, he made several trips to Belgium to meet with King Baudouin and other members of the Belgian government.
Unfortunately, Mutara III Rudahigwa’s reign also coincided with the worst recorded period of famine in Rwanda between 1941 and 1945.
This period included the Ruzagayura famine (1944-1945), during which time 200,000 out of the nation’s population of around two million perished.
Despite his efforts to mitigate the famine, including seeking assistance from the Belgian colonial administration and mobilizing local resources, the crisis persisted.
The Rise of Tribal tensions
During Mutara III Rudahigwa’s reign as the King of Rwanda, there was an increasing stratification of ethnic identity within the Belgian-ruled mandate of Ruanda-Urundi, of which Rwanda formed the northern part.
In 1935, the Belgian administration introduced identity cards to formalize the ethnic categories of Tutsi, Hutu, and Twa.
The inter-war social reforms caused an increasing resentment among the Hutu population, which fueled a Hutu emancipation movement after World War II.
Additionally, the increasing sympathy for the Hutu within the Catholic Church helped the movement grow.
Despite Rudahigwa’s abolition of the ubuhake system of indentured service that exploited Hutus in 1954, it had little real practical effect.
The growing influence of the Hutu movement alarmed the monarchy and prominent Tutsi, leading them to agitate for immediate independence on their own terms.
King Mutara III Rudahigwa demanded independence from Belgium in 1956, and the Hutu scholars wrote the “Bahutu Manifesto” in 1957.
This political manifesto denounced the “exploitation” of the Hutus by the ethnic Tutsi and called for their liberation from both Tutsi and Belgian rule.
As a result, Hutu political parties were formed, with future-president Gregoire Kayibanda founding the Hutu Social Movement (later renamed MDR-PARMEHUTU), and Joseph Gitera creating the Association for Social Promotion of the Masses (APROSOMA).
Personal life of King Mutara III Rudahigwa
Mutara III Rudahigwa was married twice. He married Nyiramakomali on October 15, 1933, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1941.
He then married Rosalie Gicanda in a church ceremony on January 13, 1942. Following Rudahigwa’s death, Rosalie Gicanda remained in Rwanda, where she was tragically murdered during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
The murder was carried out on the orders of Idelphonse Nizeyimana, who was later convicted of war crimes by a UN court and sentenced to life imprisonment.
In 1953, the American writer John Gunther conducted an interview with the Mwami in preparation for his book Inside Africa.
Rudahigwa was described as a tall and handsome figure with a sombre and sober personality.
He was a giant that stood at an impressive height of six feet nine inches and was fluent in French.
Despite the United Nations trusteeship of the time, Rudahigwa professed his loyalty to Belgium and showed little interest in the international organization.
Death of King Mutara III Rudahigwa
On 24 July 1959, King Mutara III Rudahigwa traveled to Usumbura, Urundi, to attend a meeting with Belgian colonial authorities, arranged by Father André Perraudin.
The next day, he visited his Belgian doctor at the colonial hospital, where he suddenly passed away.
The Belgian authorities provided conflicting accounts of his death, with one stating that he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, while another suggested he died from a reaction to a penicillin shot.
An autopsy was not performed due to the objections of the Queen Mother Kankazi.
The circumstances surrounding his death led to rumours that he was deliberately killed by the Belgian authorities.
These rumours fuelled tensions, and ordinary Rwandans took to the streets, throwing stones at Europeans’ cars.
There were also unverified claims that Rudahigwa was suffering from excessive drinking and untreated syphilis, which may have contributed to his death.
However, a Twa attendant of the king reported that he was in excellent health, as evidenced by his active participation in sporting activities, including playing tennis.
Following his death, Rudahigwa was succeeded by Jean-Baptiste Ndahindurwa, who assumed the throne as Kigeli V.
The circumstances surrounding King Mutara III Rudahigwa’s death remain a mystery, with conflicting explanations provided by the Belgian doctors and authorities.
Despite this, he is still celebrated for his support of Christianity, particularly the Catholic Church, as he was baptized into it.
Also read: Chief Kivoi, The Kamba Trader Who Paved the Way for Missionaries in Kenya
His legacy also includes his commitment to education, which he demonstrated through the establishment of the Mutara education fund.
However, his most significant achievement was the abolition of Ubuhake in 1954, for which he is highly revered.
Source
https://talkafricana.com/king-mutara-iii-rudahigwa-the-giant-christain-king-of-of-rwanda/
