The Rwandan Patriotic Front

Paul Kagame was the leader of the RPF
during the Rwandan Genocide

The largely Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which took power following the civil war and genocide of 1994, is the principal political force and controls the Government of National Unity. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda belongs to the RPF. Paul Kagame was the head in the RPF. He was in control when the Hutu extremist began the bloody Massacre in Rwandan. He then ordered a movement of the RPF rebellion towards the Hutu government, who was targeting all Tutsi civilians.

            The RPF was established in 1987 by Tutsi refugees in Uganda and moderate Hutus. It was then involved in a civil war with the Rwandan government in 1990. After years of fighting, the national community began taking action. The RPF had signed a peace agreement in the Arusha Accords with the Rwandan government in 1993. A cease fire was established in Northern Rwanda, were the RPF had already taken some land. However with the death of Habyarimana, they began the civil war once again, and tried to stop the genocide.

             If it were not for the Rwandan Patriotic Front, the genocide in Rwanda would have been much worse. Thanks to the RPF, the Hutu government was overthrown and the genocide ended. The RPF had been encouraged various times to try and settle an agreement with the Hutus. However, as Paul Kagame stated, “they are killing my people”. So the RPF reached Kigali and became the ruling political party ever since. The RPF was a very important group that was involved in this genocide and was a defining factor in the outcome of the genocide.

RPF soldiers patroling