Attack on Dominique Mbonyumutwa Sparks Violence

On November 1, 1959, Dominique Mbonyumutwa, a prominent Hutu politician, was beaten by members of the pro-Tutsi UNAR party in Byimana, southern Rwanda. This incident triggered a violent backlash across the country, marking the beginning of the 1959 Hutu Revolution (also called the Social Revolution). Rumors spread that Mbonyumutwa had been killed, further fueling Hutu anger. In the days and weeks that followed, Hutu groups launched violent attacks on Tutsi communities, leading to the deaths of thousands of Tutsis and the destruction of Tutsi homes and properties. Tutsi chiefs and local leaders, who had historically held power under both the monarchy and colonial rule, were targeted and deposed. Thousands of Tutsis fled Rwanda, seeking refuge in neighboring countries like Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The 1959 violence was a turning point in Rwanda’s history, as it weakened the Tutsi monarchy and paved the way for Hutu political dominance. By 1961, the Rwandan monarchy was abolished, and Rwanda became a republic under Grégoire Kayibanda, leader of the Parmehutu party. Dominique Mbonyumutwa survived the attack and later served as Rwanda’s provisional president after the 1961 referendum that formally ended the monarchy. The 1959 Hutu Revolution is seen as the start of Rwanda’s cycle of ethnic violence, which would culminate in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. #RwandaHistory #HutuRevolution #DominiqueMbonyumutwa #EthnicViolence #TutsiExile #RwandanRepublic #ColonialLegacy #EastAfrica #MomentsOfLife #MoofLife_Moment #MoofLife