Formation of the Union Nationale Rwandaise (UNAR) Party

In September 1959, the Union Nationale Rwandaise (UNAR) party was formed in Rwanda. It was a Tutsi-dominated political party that strongly supported the continuation of the monarchy and advocated for Rwanda’s independence from Belgian colonial rule. UNAR was created in response to the growing influence of Hutu political movements, such as the Parti du Mouvement de l'Emancipation Hutu (PARMEHUTU), which called for Hutu political empowerment and an end to Tutsi dominance. The UNAR party was backed by members of the Tutsi aristocracy, including King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa, and sought to preserve the existing power structure led by the Mwami (king) and the Tutsi elite. The party also emphasized Rwandan unity, but its association with the monarchy and the Tutsi ruling class made it unpopular among the Hutu majority. The formation of UNAR further polarized Rwanda’s political landscape, as ethnic divisions between Hutu and Tutsi intensified. This political rivalry contributed to the outbreak of the 1959 Hutu Revolution, during which the monarchy was overthrown, and many Tutsi were killed or forced into exile. Although UNAR continued to operate in exile after 1961, it lost much of its influence following Rwanda’s transition to a Hutu-led republic under Grégoire Kayibanda. #RwandaHistory #UNAR #RwandanPolitics #HutuRevolution #ColonialLegacy #RwandaIndependence #TutsiMonarchy #EastAfrica #MomentsOfLife #MoofLife_Moment #MoofLife