Rwandan Patriotic Front
Political party in Rwanda / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF–Inkotanyi; French: Front patriotique rwandais, FPR)[1] is the ruling political party in Rwanda.
This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. (June 2024) |
Rwandan Patriotic Front Front Patriotique Rwandais | |
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President | Paul Kagame |
Secretary-General | Wellars Gasamagera |
Founder | Fred Gisa Rwigyema |
Founded | December 1987 |
Headquarters | Kigali |
Ideology |
|
Political position | Big tent |
Colours | Sky blue |
Chamber of Deputies | 36 / 80 |
Party flag | |
Website | |
rpfinkotanyi | |
The RPF was founded in December 1987 by Rwandan Tutsi in exile in Uganda because of the ethnic violence that had occurred during the Rwandan Hutu Revolution in 1959–1962.[2][3] In 1990, the RPF started the Rwandan Civil War in an attempt to overthrow the government, which was dominated by Hutu. Later on, the Rwandan genocide occurred that ended on 4 July with the RPF conquest of the entire country.[4][5][6] The RPF have ruled the country since then as a dominant-party, and its current leader, Paul Kagame, became the president of Rwanda in 2000, and remains in office.[7]
Since 1994, RPF rule has been characterized by political repression,[8][9] relative stability, and economic growth.[10][11] Among other policies implemented by the government are the non-recognition of ethnic identities and a wide-ranging prohibition on what the government calls "genocide ideology", including discussion of ethnic differences.[12][13] Despite an official nonsectarian identity, as of 2021, a large majority of officials in the RPF-led government are Tutsi.[14]