On 18 October 1959, the PARMEHUTU party was officially founded in Rwanda, marking the beginning of a new political movement focused on advancing the interests and rights of the Hutu majority in a country that had long been ruled by the Tutsi monarchy and elite. PARMEHUTU, which stands for the Party of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Hutu, sought to challenge the longstanding political and social dominance of the Tutsi minority in Rwanda.
The creation of PARMEHUTU came in the context of growing ethnic tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi groups. The party was founded by Grégoire Kayibanda, who would later become the first President of Rwanda following independence, and it advocated for the liberation of the Hutu population from perceived Tutsi domination in both politics and society.
The PARMEHUTU’s rise to prominence came during a period of ethnic conflict that ultimately led to the Hutu Revolution in 1959. The Hutu Revolution, in which the Hutu majority overthrew the Tutsi monarchy, resulted in massive violence against the Tutsi population and the eventual exodus of Tutsi refugees to neighboring countries. The PARMEHUTU party played a crucial role in the political mobilization of the Hutu population, promoting a sense of unity and political power, while also contributing to the growing ethnic polarization in the country.
Key Points:
- 18 October 1959 marks the founding of the PARMEHUTU party in Rwanda, a political organization focused on the emancipation of the Hutu majority.
- The party was led by Grégoire Kayibanda, who would later become the first President of Rwanda after the country gained independence.
- PARMEHUTU’s formation occurred against the backdrop of ethnic tension between the Hutu and Tutsi communities, leading to the Hutu Revolution and the eventual overthrow of the Tutsi monarchy.
- The PARMEHUTU party played a central role in shaping the political landscape of pre-independence Rwanda, contributing to ethnic conflict that would influence future events, including the Rwandan Genocide.
The formation of PARMEHUTU was one of the defining moments in Rwanda’s path to independence, setting the stage for both the end of the Tutsi monarchy and the beginning of a series of political and social changes that would ultimately lead to the Rwandan Civil War and the Rwandan Genocide Against Tutsi