18 Facts About Faustin Twagiramungu

Faustin Twagiramungu was Prime Minister of Rwanda from 1994 until his resignation in 1995, the first head of government appointed after the Rwandan Patriotic Front captured Kigali.

Faustin Twagiramungu soon came to disagree with the RPF's policies and actions, resigned and was placed under house arrest, but managed to leave the country and settle in Belgium.

Faustin Twagiramungu continued his opposition activity against Paul Kagame's rule, subsequently returning to Rwanda and standing for elections, but without success.

Faustin Twagiramungu studied and worked in Quebec, Canada, from 1968 to 1976, during which time he experienced Quebec separatism and met with Rene Levesque.

Faustin Twagiramungu rose to political prominence after the democratic opening in Rwanda in 1991, as the chairman of a new political party, the Republican Democratic Movement.

Faustin Twagiramungu's faction was weak, but he succeeded thanks to support from the other political parties.

The Arusha Accords were signed on 4 August 1993, and Faustin Twagiramungu was chosen to be the Prime Minister.

In July 1994, Faustin Twagiramungu finally became Prime Minister in the Arusha-inspired "Government of National Unity" set up by the RPF after taking power in wake of the Rwandan genocide.

Faustin Twagiramungu's appointment was tinged with symbolism for many Rwandans, as he was the son-in-law of Gregoire Kayibanda.

Faustin Twagiramungu was put under house arrest, but managed to leave the country by the end of the year.

Faustin Twagiramungu denounced the murder and accused the Rwandan government of culpability.

In 1998, FRD invited four other exiled movements to form the Union of Rwandan Democratic Forces, which wanted to press for a new power-sharing agreement along the lines of the Arusha Accords, and Faustin Twagiramungu was slated to be its president from 1998 to 2002.

On 10 December 2002, Faustin Twagiramungu announced that he would be a candidate in the Rwandan presidential election of 2003.

Faustin Twagiramungu was forced to stand as an independent as his political party, the MDR, was banned.

Faustin Twagiramungu did not accept the result, claiming that Paul Kagame was leading the country towards a one-party system.

In 2010, Faustin Twagiramungu founded a "new political trend" called the Rwandan Dream Initiative.

On 4 April 2014, only two days after Kagame had visited Brussels, Faustin Twagiramungu was informed by Belgian police and state security that his life was in danger, and his house was provided with police protection for four days.

Faustin Twagiramungu died in Brussels on 2 December 2023, at age 78.