Kigeli V of Rwanda 1936 – 2016

Biography

Kigeli V of Rwanda was born on June 29, 1936, in Cyangugu, a town in southern Rwanda. As a member of Rwanda’s royal family, he occupied a significant place in the nation’s cultural and historical landscape during a period of profound change in East Africa. His life spanned nearly eight decades, witnessing Rwanda’s colonial period, independence, and the dramatic transformations that followed.

Kigeli V passed away on October 16, 2016, in Oakton, Virginia, at the age of eighty. His death resulted from cardiovascular disease. Though his final years were spent far from his birthplace, his connection to Rwanda remained central to his identity and legacy. Following his wishes and honoring Rwandan tradition, he was laid to rest in Nyanza District in the Southern Province of Rwanda, returning him to the land of his ancestors and people.