Rwandan Patriotic Front
Rwandan Patriotic Front Front Patriotique Rwandais | |
|---|---|
| President | Paul Kagame |
| Secretary-General | Christophe Bazivamo |
| Founder | Fred Rwigema |
| Founded | December 1979 (RANU) December 1987 (RPF) |
| Headquarters | Kigali |
| Ideology |
|
| Political position | Big tent Historical: Left-wing |
| Colours | Sky blue |
| Chamber of Deputies | 37 / 80 |
| Party flag | |
| Website | |
| rpfinkotanyi | |
The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF–Inkotanyi; French: Front patriotique rwandais, FPR) is the ruling political party in Rwanda.
The RPF was founded in December 1987 by Rwandan Tutsi exiled in Uganda because of the ethnic violence that had occurred during the Rwandan Hutu Revolution in 1959–1962. In 1990, the RPF started the Rwandan Civil War in an attempt to overthrow the Hutu-dominated Habyarimana government. Later the Rwandan genocide occurred, and ended on 4 July with the RPF conquest of the entire country. The RPF have ruled the country since then as a de facto one-party state. RPF leader Paul Kagame has been president of Rwanda since his election in 2000.
Since 1994, RPF rule has been characterized by political repression, relative stability, and economic growth. Among other policies implemented by the government are the non-recognition of ethnic identities and a prohibition of "genocide ideology", including discussion of ethnic differences. Though officially nonsectarian, as of 2021, a majority of officials in the RPF-led government are Tutsi.