Pasteur Bizimungu (born 30 April 1950) is a Rwandan politician who served as the third President of Rwanda, holding office from 19 July 1994 until 23 March 2000.
Bizimungu had previously held several positions under President Juvenal Habyarimana throughout the 1980s. He joined the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebel group against Habyarimana in 1990 following the death of his brother seemingly under the orders of Habyarimana's government. After the RPF's victory in the Rwandan Civil War in 1994 which ended the Rwandan genocide, Bizimungu became the new president of the country with RPF commander Paul Kagame as vice-president and minister of defense, who was seen as the country's de facto leader throughout his presidency. Bizumungu's presidency was marked by the reconstruction of the country in the wake of the civil war and genocide, as well as the country's support for rebel groups in the First Congo War from 1996 to 1997, and the Second Congo War from 1998 to 2003. Following a series of disputes with Kagame, Bizimungu resigned in 2000, whereupon he was succeeded by Kagame. The following year, Bizimungu founded the Party for Democratic Renewal, which was immediately banned by Kagame's new government. In 2004, Bizimungu was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for attempting to form a militia, inciting violence, and embezzlement, but was pardoned three years later by Kagame.
Early life
A Rwandan, Bizimingu was born in the Gisenyi prefecture of Rwanda. During this period, he held several positions, including director-general of Electrogaz, the national electricity company. At the time, the RPF was just beginning its invasion of Rwanda from Uganda, starting the Rwandan Civil War.
Party for Democratic Renewal
In May 2001, Bizimungu founded a new political party, the Party for Democratic Renewal (PDR), known as Ubuyanja in Kinyarwanda. It was almost immediately banned by the government, which accused it of being a radical Hutu party. Bizimungu was arrested, and Amnesty International named him a prisoner of conscience.
He was placed under house arrest for continuing the operations of the party on 19 April 2002 and charged with endangering the state. On 7 June 2004 he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to form a militia, inciting violence, and embezzlement. He received a five-year sentence for each of these convictions, which were to run consecutively.
On 17 February 2006, Bizimungu's appeal, based on the fact that he was convicted of crimes different from those with which he was initially charged, was denied by the Supreme Court.
He was released on 6 April 2007, having been pardoned by Kagame. Kagame gave no explanation of the pardon. As of April 2011, PDR co-founder and later co-defendant Charles Ntakirutinka remained in prison, and was named an Amnesty International "priority case." However, he was released on 1 March 2012 after serving his full ten-year sentence.
Family
Bizimungu's wife is Séraphine Utamuliza. He has one son, and two daughters, Alexander Tabara, Nicole Tamara, and Carine Cyuzuzo.