Dominique Mbonyumutwa

Who was Dominique Mbonyumutwa?

Dominique Mbonyumutwa was a Rwandan politician who served as the first and President of Rwanda, from January 28 to October 26, 1961, immediately following the abolition of the Rwandan monarchy. He took over the country after King Kigeri V of Rwanda was overthrown following the 1961 referendum abolishing monarchy.

Mbonyumutwa was of Hutu ethnicity. He was chosen by the party of the majority to be the first president after the Monarchy. Dominique Mbonyumutwa was respected by the population before and after he became president. On November 1st 1959, when he was still a "sous-chef", he got attacked and slapped by a group of uncontrolled Tutsi youth at Byimana in the Southern Province. Due to his high popularity back then, the population started the Rwandese revolution which finally led to the abolition of the Monarchy two years later.

Dominique Mbonyumutwa was replaced by Grégoire Kayibanda at the end of his interim period according to the party agreement. He died in July 1986 and was buried in Gitarama Stadium, where the republic was proclaimed, as a recognition to the country. In 2010, his remains were exhumed and reburied in a public cemetery due to the plans to develop the stadium.