André Kameya

Who is André Kameya?

André Kameya was born to Augustin Rubwiriza and Nyirabahakwa Pascasie.

Upon finishing primary education at Mugombwa Primary School, he attended the Karubanda Catholic seminary and then continued to Nyakibanda Major Seminary for priesthood training. While in his last year, working in Kabgayi in 1971–72, he was subjected to discrimination that awoke his sense of justice. He started to write articles for the Catholic newspaper Kinyamateka. Discrimination against Tutsi was not uncommon. This brought him to the attention of the internal security services and he was ejected from the seminary under the orders of Kayibanda. This purge instituted by the government saw many Tutsi students ejected from many Catholic seminaries and some killed.

Like many Tutsis, he took the road to exile in 1972 and returned to Rwanda in 1974. He subsequently worked for Kinyamateka until 1981 when he moved to the ORINFOR in La Releve French newspaper. Following training in law in 1984 he moved to the ministry of justice where he was the editor of the ministry journal.