King Mutara III Rudahigwa is one of the most famous monarchs in Rwanda’s recent history.

 Born in March 1911 to King Yuhi V Musinga and Queen Kankazi in Cyangugu, in western Rwanda, Rudahigwa will always be celebrated by Rwandans for the tremendous transformation he championed in the Rwandan state.

The few who were lucky to be alive at the time, will tell you that King Rudahigwa’s leadership style was contagious, one that refined the dignity of Rwandans as a people and strived for the unity of the Rwandans during the puzzling times of his reign. 

His reign was puzzling because he had the unenviable task of balancing modernity, which came with the colonialists, and keeping the national sanctity.

He believed in sustainable development of the nation and struggled for the dignity of Rwanda as a nation which were almost incompatible at the time when colonialists wanted every slice of the African cake.

He was a leader with great foresight capacities.

And, unlike many Rwandan monarchs, Rudahigwa embraced and attended formal education. 

From testimonies, he is always described as a brilliant student of the then prestigious Astrida School, now Groupe Scolaire Officiel de Butare, or Indatwa, as its alma mater like to call it. 

As a 20-year-old, Rudahigwa inherited leadership from his father, Yuhi V Musinga, known to have resisted the Belgian colonizers who later forced him to abdicate his throne.

One would have thought that against the predicament of his father who was dethroned and cast into exile in a humiliating fashion, Rudahigwa would dance to every tune of the new sheriffs in town. 

But contrary to that, his legacy is that of a very keen leader who fought against the Belgians’ predispositions of divide and rule policies and proclaimed decrees that aimed at unifying the nation. 

In 1949, Rudahigwa, against all odds, abolished forced labor and the infamous Kiboko to which the population had been subjected to for years. 

His unilateral decree was certainly not welcomed by the Belgian administration as it was a bold step to resisting their influence in Rwanda. It was aimed at weakening them as it empowered Rwandans to act independently by doing what they judged was important for them.

In 1953, King Rudahigwa made a second and daring step. He abolished Ubuhake – subjugation. This one was a highly celebrated pronouncement amongst Rwandans and a game changer in the overall administration equation.

It made a significant impact in the political atmosphere in Rwanda, with the monarch’s popularity increasing across the country and that of the Belgian colonizers declining dramatically. 

Prior to these famous decrees, Rudahigwa had dedicated much of his time to modernizing the country through the development of agricultural practices, education and other important areas of national development. 

He introduced the Fonds Mutara Rudahigwa which offered scholarships to Rwandans, developed projects that improved agricultural productivity and sensitized Rwandans to always aim at improving their welfare. 

He was a reformist who believed in modernization and in Rwanda’s sovereignty. 

Rudahigwa will always be remembered as the King who believed and expressed his ideals on the sovereignty of his nation and its people; sometimes in a fierce but well calculated fashion. 

Stories are told of how, during one of his many trips from neighbouring Burundi, King Rudahigwa made an impromptu stop over at the famous Hotel Faucon, in Huye District. At the time, the hotel was an exclusive facility for white people. It was a no-go zone for the black race. 

To his surprise, Rudahigwa who was already out of his car and moving towards the hotel’s entrance saw a public notice that read: “Access forbidden to dogs and black people.”

He was infuriated by the dishonorable announcement. He was then stopped by a white guard who tried to remind him of the notice at the door thereby blocking him. In the process, the King slapped hard the white muscular man and ordered all the members of his delegation to enter the hotel.

The King believed in the sovereignty of his people and strived for their rightful position in their own country.

Rudahigwa, who after trying to reach a compromise with the Belgian administration by allowing to be baptized, among other concessions, was denied the right to agitate for the country’s total independence. He was tricked into what came to be his assassination plot.

He left a great legacy to be celebrated by Rwandans. 

The greatest legacy he left for generations is that of striving for the country’s dignity and for its rightful independence in doing what it deems right for itself. 

As Rwandans celebrate Heroes’ Day, may King Rudahigwa’s patriotism and his fight for Rwanda’s dignity guide them to sustain the transformation journey of our beloved Rwanda.

King Mutara III Rudahigwa is one of the Imena heroes who will be celebrated as the country marks the 28^th Heroes’ Day celebrations.