Marcel Gatsinzi

Marcel Gatsinzi (/mɑːrˈsɛl ɡɑːtˈsɪnzi/ ⓘ) (9 January 1948 – 7 March 2023) was a Rwandan soldier and politician, who was Minister of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs from 2010 to 2013. Gatsinzi also served as Rwanda's Minister of Defence from 2002 to 2010.[1] An ethnic Hutu[2] from Butare, Gatsinzi was a member of the Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR), which was the national army prior to the takeover of Rwanda by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Marcel Gatsinzi
Minister of Defence (Rwanda)
In office
15 November 2002 – 10 April 2010
Preceded byEmmanuel Habyarimana
Succeeded byJames Kabarebe
Personal details
Born(1948-01-09)9 January 1948
Kigali, Ruanda-Urundi
Died7 March 2023(2023-03-07) (aged 75)
Brussels, Belgium

Biography

Gatsinzi was born in Kigali on 9 January 1948.[3] He started his formal education at Collège Saint-André in Nyamirambo, Kigali, where he graduated with a diploma in 1968. His military career began at the Kigali Military Academy in the same year, and he was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 31 March 1970.

Gatsinzi pursued his military career courses in Belgium at Heverlee (Louvain) in the School of Logistics in 1971 and in Brussels at the Royal High Institute of Defence from 1974 to 1976.

Beside the military assignments in the Rwandan Army, Colonel Gatsinzi served in the OAU Neutral Military Observer Group set by the Organization of African Unity. That OAU NMOG was meant to monitor the cease fire during the period of the negotiations between the Government and the RPF during the Rwandan Civil War (1990–1994). He also participated in the negotiations process.

During the genocide, from 6 to 17 April 1994 he served as Army Chief of Staff of the FAR.[4] Because he advocated a more moderate approach and opposed expansion of the genocide, Gatsinzi was removed from the post and was replaced by Augustin Bizimungu.[5][6] Afterwards he was promoted to brigadier general and assigned to negotiate with the RPF and "other duties that did not involve direct command of troops".[7]

After the genocide

Because of his resistance to the genocide and willingness to negotiate with the RPF, he was integrated into the Rwandan Patriotic Army shortly after their taking power. He was appointed chief of staff of the gendarmerie in 1997.[8]

Gatsinzi held various political and military appointments with the following as his main career highlights:

  • Deputy Chief of Staff of Rwanda Patriotic Army from 1995–1997
  • Chief of Staff of the National Gendarmerie from 1997–2000
  • Secretary General of the National Security Service from 2000 to 2002
  • Minister of Defence on 15 November 2002
  • Re-appointed Minister of Defence on 19 October 2003 till 10 April 2010
  • Minister of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs from 2010 to 2013

Gatsinzi held a series of honorific military medal awards.

Gatsinzi was appointed Minister of Defence on 15 November 2002, succeeding Brig.-Gen. Emmanuel Habyarimana.

Gatsinzi died on 7 March 2023, at the age of 75.[9]

References
  1. Ministry of Defence (MOD), Republic of Rwanda. "The Minister". Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  2. The Limits of Humanitarian Intervention: Genocide in Rwanda. Brookings Institution Press. 13 May 2004. ISBN 0815798776.
  3. Rwanda: Gen Gatsinzi reka gusaza wanduranije cyane. Gushaka kwigura sibyo bizatuma Kagame akurebera izuba.
  4. Guichaoua, André (2015). From War to Genocide: Criminal Politics in Rwanda, 1990–1994. University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 159, 212. ISBN 9780299298203.
  5. Guichaoua, André (2015). From War to Genocide: Criminal Politics in Rwanda, 1990–1994. University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 251–253. ISBN 9780299298203.
  6. Twagiramungu, Noel, "Two Rebel Roads to Power: Explaining Variation in the Transition from Genocidal Violence to Rebel Governance in Contemporary Rwanda and Burundi," PhD Dissertation, Tufts University, 2014, p. 137.
  7. Des Forges, Alison (March 1999). Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda – Butare: "This Is an Extermination". New York: Human Rights Watch. Note 72. ISBN 1-56432-171-1.
  8. Guichaoua, André, "Gouvernements, Répresentation Politique, Principaux Corps D'État, Institutions de la Société Civile," Paris, 2000.
  9. General Marcel Gatsinzi dies in Belgium
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