Juvénal Habyarimana 1937 – 1994

Biography

Juvénal Habyarimana was born on March 8, 1937, in Gisenyi Province, Rwanda. He went on to become the second President of Rwanda, serving during a significant period in the nation’s history. His life was marked by his role in leading the country through complex political circumstances during the late twentieth century.

On April 6, 1994, President Habyarimana’s life ended tragically in Kigali when his aircraft was struck by a surface-to-air missile. This sudden and violent death marked a pivotal moment that would profoundly affect Rwanda and its people. He was fifty-six years old at the time of his death.

Following his passing, President Habyarimana was laid to rest in Gbadolite, located in the North Ubangi region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His remains were interred far from his birthplace, a final resting place that reflected the complex political circumstances of the era in which he lived and served.