Royalty of Rwanda

[Benjamin]

Courtesy of Wikipedia:

King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa was the ruling King (Mwami) of Rwanda from 1959-1961.

He was born in 1935 in Kamembe, Rwanda. His Christian name is Jean-Baptiste. He received his education at Groupe Scolaire d'Astrida in Rwanda, and at Nyangezi College in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

When King Mutara Rudahigwa became king of Rwanda he made many changes - in 1954 he shared out of land between the Hutu and the Tutsi. He died under mysterious circumstances in 1959, and he was replaced on the throne by his younger brother Jean-Baptiste Ndahindurwa.

Political instability and tribal conflict grew despite the efforts of King Kigeli Ndahindurwa. An increasingly restive Hutu population, encouraged by the Belgian military, sparked a revolt in November 1959. In 1961, King Kigeli V was in Kinshasa to meet with Secretary-General of the United NationsDag Hammarskjold when the Belgian government exiled him. The coupe resulted in the overthrow of King Kigeli V and he initially fled into exile to Uganda.

In June 1992, he was granted political asylum by the United States and lives in Washington DC. Internationally he has traveled throughout, to speak on behalf of the Rwandan people and repeatedly called for peace and harmony between the different groups. King Kigeri V has continued to remember the victims of the Rwandan Genocide and makes every attempt to reconcile between all political, ethnic, and religious parties in

Rwanda to use the democratic process to solve any disputes.
King Kigeli V has been invited by Delta Phi Epsilon Alpha chapter at Georgetown University and gave a speech "The Rwanda Genocide The Most Preventable Tragedy of Our Time".

He currently heads the King Kigeli V Foundation which mission is to bring humanitarian initiatives on behalf of Rwandese refugees. King Kigeli V also awards the Royal Order of the Drum, the Royal Order of the Crown, the Royal Order of the Crested Crane and the Royal Order of the Intare to individuals for their outstanding service to His Majesty for their personal work to assist the people of Rwanda through humantarian projects.

Awards

• King Kigeli V was awarded the Gold Star Award from by the International Strategic Studies Association for Oustanding Contributions to Strategic Progress Through Humanitarian Achievement for his work for Rwandan refugees in Africa.
• On March 16, 2006, King Kigeli V was awarded the Grand Cross of both the Imperial Ethiopian Order of Saint Mary of Zion and of the Imperial Ethiopian Order of Solomon's Seal by Crown Prince Zera Yacob Amha Selassie of Ethiopia.

[Amira]

i didn't know that Rwanda had a king before :)

[Benjamin]

Courtesy of Wikipedia:

The King Kigeli V Foundation is headed King Kigeli V of Rwanda and its mission is to keep informed the international community informed about the situation in Rwanda via radio, television, and newspaper interviews and provide charitable and educational purposes for the people of Rwanda and refugees that live outside of the nation.


Official Site of the King Kigeli V Foundation

[Benjamin]

Rwandan King Kigeli V to visit CSUN for speech
10/26/05
King Kigeli V, in exile from Rwanda, is scheduled to visit campus on Thursday and Friday as part of CSUN's annual Africa Week event...
http://sundial.csun.edu/media/storag...ndial.csun.edu

Appeal to King Kigeli to reconcile Rwandans
(1997)
The Rwandese community around the world, both in exile and in Rwanda itself, has launched a petition asking King Kigeli V to invest his moral authority in the process of national reconciliation. The king who lives in exile ever since 1961 has never ceased working for the good of all his people...
http://www.king-kigeli.com/misc/pr_appeal.htm

King Inspires Exiled Leader
Sherri Drake
July 23, 2004

He walked slowly through the [Civil Rights] museum, nodding his head and clasping his hands together, watching the dedication and sacrifices of another King...
http://www.king-kigeli.com/misc/pr_commercial.htm

Exiled king, U.N. leader to speak about Rwandan genocide
General Romeo Dallaire and exiled Rwandan King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa will speak at Saturday at Coffman Union.
by Josh Verges
May 7, 2004

Three weeks after Rwandan President Paul Kagame visited the University, people affected by the 1994 Rwandan genocide will gather at Coffman Union to talk about their experiences...
http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2004/05/07/9654

Ethiopian and Rwandan Crowns Meet at Strategy Conference
Rwanda’s King Kigeli V, the Umwami w’u Rwanda, and current head of a dynasty which goes back in an unbroken line to the year 1081 (Western calendar), met with Ethiopian Crown Council President Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie at the Dacor House in Washington in July 2004. They had previously met several other times including a Strategy 98 dinner in Washington DC on October 6, 1998...
http://excoboard.com/exco/thread.php...hreadid=236766

Lunch with the King
The exiled king of Rwanda comes to call
by Brigitte Buergler

"Does Your Majesty fly coach?" asked Assistant Professor of Politics Pierre Englebert.
"Yes," replied the exiled king of Rwanda.
"And under what name should I buy your ticket?"
"King Kigeli V."
http://www.pomona.edu/Magazine/PCMWin01/DEtoday2.shtml

Debate on Return of Monarch Grips Rwanda
July 1999
By SHYAKA KANUMA

Debate over the possible reinstallation of ex-Rwandese monarch, King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa has taken centrestage in the politics of this small East African state...
http://www.nationaudio.com/News/East...Regional7.html

2006 International Day of Peace Proclamation by King Kigeli V

Exiled King Demands Role in Bringing Peace to Rwanda
Washington DC, October 11, 1998: — King Kigeli V, the King of Rwanda who had been exiled by Belgian colonial authorities from his country when he left to ask the United Nations to help win independence for Rwanda, has demanded a role in bringing an end to communal violence and genocide in his country, it was announced today in Washington DC...
http://128.121.186.47/ISSA/issa/releases.htm (scroll down)

King Kigeli V Honors Von Kloberg, DuVal
July 2001

Donning black slippers embroidered with a devil holding a pitchfork, international publicist and lobbyist Edward J. von Kloberg III greeted guests at his double-penthouse apartment on Cathedral Avenue in NW Washington on May 30.
http://www.washdiplomat.com/01-07/a7_07_01.html

[Benjamin]

Anatomy of a Genocide
The Crown, the Church, Ethnicity, & the State in the Rwandan Crisis
by Kenneth W. Gunn-Walberg
How many women, men, and children were killed in Rwanda in the weeks following April 6, 1994? Three quarters of a million, a million, perhaps as few as half a million? What of those mutilated, men minus hands or legs, children bearing marks of the machete, women raped, maimed, and tortured? Why did it happen?
http://www.touchstonemag.com/archive...id=11-05-034-f

[Vanesa]

I'm sincerily happy to know about King Kigeli. I respect a lot the Monarchs who were overthrowned, for they keep fighting for their countries and are interested in politics and human being issues. Sometimes, ruling Monarchs are more like spectacle stars or jet-set characters than people really interested in their countries well-being. I will not give names, and of course there are exceptions to this characterization in current ruling Royal and Imperial Houses. But I must admit that it is not like this in most of the cases.

Long live to King Kigeli and the ones who are like him!

Vanesa.:w00t2:

[Daniela]

Well, I must say that King Kigeli is really a great man!

I went through a lots of web pages about him, but anywhere is a word about him being married. Can someone that knows more about his family situation, tell more about his family, relatives... Thanks!

Daniela

[Benjamin]

Dear Daniela,

Kigeli was the son of King Yuhi V wa Musinga (b. 1883; d. 1944).

Kigeli had (at least) five half-brothers. One of these was King Mutara III Rudahigwa (b. 1913; d. 1959). Rwigemera, Ruzibiza, Subika, and Ruzindana are Kigeli's other brothers. I'm not sure whether they are still living.

The King has also established a Council of Royals...although I am not aware of the composition of the body.

[Daniela]

Thank you, Benjamin.

Can you tell if he is/was married?


Daniela

[lord_rankin]

Daniela I looked on his website, Wikipedia and several articles but they never mentioned once a wife or children. I'll keep looking.

[Benjamin]

As far as I know he isn't married and never has been.

[Daniela]

Thanks, Benjamin and lord_rankin!

Daniela

P.S.: If he doesn't have his own family, who will succeed him as head of the family?

[Benjamin]

I asked that question of the Secretary General of the Royal House, Dr. Carl Lindgren, who responded: "The King has named his successor but it is only known by the King, the Chancellor and the individual himself."

[Benjamin]

Rudahigwa Remembered 50 Years After His Death
26 July 2009

Thousands of people ascended on the last King Mutara III Rudahigwa's palace over the weekend to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his death.

The commemoration week came to a climax on Saturday with a mass that was celebrated at the King's Palace, now Museum of Rwandan Ancient History.

The mass was preceded by the laying of wreaths on the graves of Rudahigwa and Queen Rosalie Gicanda situated on Mwima hill which overlooks the King's Palace (Urukari).

Full article: The New Times

[Benjamin]

Rwanda's former king eyes return
17 August 2007

The man who ruled Rwanda until his overthrow in 1959, King Kigeli Ndahindurwa V, says he wants to return home for the first time in 48 years.

But in an interview with the BBC, he says he can only return if the Rwandan people are prepared to accept him as their constitutional monarch.

Speaking in the US, and now aged 72, he said he had discussed his idea with Rwanda's President Paul Kagame.

Full article: BBC News
__________________________________________

Kagame comments on self-exiled king
13 September 2007

Rwanda’s exiled King Kigeli Ndahindurwa V can only return to the country as an ordinary citizen but not as a constitutional monarch as some Rwandans may want, President Paul Kagame has said.

"You are trying to make him more important than he is," Mr Kagame told journalists in Kigali on Monday.

"He (Ndahindurwa ) should come back from exile as an ordinary citizen and we shall welcome him. If he does not welcome that option, then he should remain wherever he is," Mr Kagame said.

Full article: The Monitor
__________________________________________

Royal Family Yet to Agree On Distribution of Compensation - Govt
1 April 2008

The members of the former Rwandan royal family kicked out of power some 40 years ago have already been compensated for property lost but the money is still in government accounts, it was heard on Tuesday.

President Paul Kagame told a press conference in Kigali that compensation was awarded but the family has "failed to agree on who takes what and how much".

Full article: allAfrica.com

[guyepennington]

I had dinner with H.M. King Kigeli last year, and you are correct -- he is not married. He had a lady friend when he reigned, but he determined it would be improper to marry until restored to the throne. I'm not sure why -- perhaps there is similar precedent for deposed royals under Rwandan traditions?
He is a very nice man, and his spirit is very gentle. His height towered over my mere 5'9 body.

[Benjamin]

Rwanda monarch appoints secret team to plan his return
28 Oct 2011

The supposed king of Rwanda – who was forced out of Rwanda more than four decades ago has instituted a secret team of ‘Rwandans’ to work on a roadmap for his eventual return, RNA reports.

The Umwami KIGELI V NDAHINDURWA who lives in Washington announced in a statement this week that the team will conduct a fact-finding mission on what Rwandans think about his fate. And if they decide they want him, he will pick up his bags headed for Rwanda, officials attached to his court said.

However, the identities of the individuals on the committee have been kept secret for sake of their security, a court official said Thursday. He said the team includes Rwandans from ‘all walks of life both in Rwanda and outside’.

Full article: RNA

[Benjamin]

Le jour où le Mwami Kigeri V est parti du Rwanda - YouTube

[EssexRoyal]

Does anyone know how a Rwandan prince/princess would be titled? For instance in Burundi a prince is titled Umuganwa. Also how were they styled - were they HRH or HH?
Any help much appreciated.

[Benjamin]

Kigeli V, the last king of Rwanda, died yesterday in Oakton, Virginia.

The king reigned from 1959-1961 before departing for exile.

He was born in 1936 and never married.

Rwanda’s Last Monarch Dies in US |