The Hutu Manifesto is Published

On March 24, 1957, the Hutu Manifesto was published in Rwanda, marking a turning point in the country’s political and ethnic landscape. Written by a group of Hutu intellectuals, including Grégoire Kayibanda, who would later become Rwanda’s first president, the document criticized the Belgian colonial administration’s favoritism toward the Tutsi minority and called for greater political representation and equality for the Hutu majority. The manifesto, formally titled "Note on the Social Aspect of the Racial Indigenous Problem in Rwanda", highlighted the deep inequalities between Hutu and Tutsi in land ownership, education, and government positions. It challenged the perception, promoted during colonial rule, that the Tutsi were a superior race, and instead argued that Hutu should be empowered to participate equally in Rwanda’s political and economic life. The Hutu Manifesto is considered the foundation of Hutu nationalism, and it set the stage for rising ethnic tensions that would escalate into violence in the following years. It influenced the 1959 Hutu Revolution, which led to the overthrow of the Tutsi monarchy and the establishment of a Hutu-dominated republic in 1962. While the manifesto raised valid concerns about social injustice, it also contributed to the rigid ethnic divisions that would fuel future conflicts, including the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. #RwandaHistory #HutuManifesto #EthnicTensions #ColonialLegacy #RwandanPolitics #EastAfrica #HutuRevolution #MomentsOfLife #MoofLife_Moment #MoofLife