Name Emmanuel Habyarimana | Role Politician | |
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Emmanuel Habyarimana is a former Rwandan soldier and politician.
Habyarimana, an ethnic Hutu, was a former member of the Rwandan Armed Forces in the Hutu-dominated state of Juvénal Habyarimana. Following the successful conquest of Rwanda by the RPF, he joined the newly constituted Rwandan Defence Forces and held the rank of colonel.
In 1997 he was made Minister of State for Defence in the Rwandan government. In 2000, he became Rwanda's Minister of Defence, and was later sometime afterwards promoted to Brigadier-General. While serving in this position he played a significant part in Rwanda's actions in the Second Congo War.
In November 2002 he was removed from his post as Minister of Defence, which government spokesperson Joseph Bideri attributed to his "extreme pro-Hutu" views. He was replaced by Marcel Gatsinzi.
On March 30, 2003 he defected to Uganda along with several other Rwandan army officers, including Lieutenant Ndayambaje and Lieutenant Colonel Balthazar Ndengeyinka.