Histoire du vicariat

Ingingo VI: IMYIFATIRE YA MUSENYERI BIGIRUMWAMI

IMBERE Y’ABATEGETSI B’IGIHUGU

Musenyeri Bigirumwami yabaye Umwepiskopi ku ngoma ebyiri. Yatangiye ku ngoma y’ Umwami Mutara III Rudahigwa, arangiza kuri Repubulika ya mbere ya Grégoire Kayibanda. Icyo gihe ahabwa Ubwepiskopi , ingoma y’Abakoloni yariho ikendera, mu myaka yateguraga ubwigenge bw’u Rwanda. Ubwo mu Rwanda hari Abanyarwanda 3, twavugako bari bahagarariye igihugu mu ruhando rw’ amahanga. Uwa mbere ni umwami Mutara wari uruhagarariye mu rwego rwa politiki. Uwakabili ni Musenyeri Bigirumwami wari uruhagarariye mu rwego rw’Amadini. Uwagatatu ni Padri Alexis Kagame wari uruhagarariye mu rwego rw’Abanyabwenge b’ibihangange. Umwami Mutara ni we Abakoloni babanje kwirenza mu buryo tuzi, ku itariki ya 25. 07. 1959. Ubwo yakurikiraga ise Yuhi V Musinga Abakoloni bari bararengeje urugo, akajya kugwa i Moba muri Congo. Aho Mutara amaze kuvira mu Rwanda rwacitsemwo icyuho. Ibikubara byo mu kwezi 11. 1959 bibona uko byisuka mu Rwanda. Icyo gihe Padiri Alexis Kagame yasigaye asa nk’aho ari we ukivugira u Rwanda mu Banditsi b’Amateka y’Afrika no mu Materaniro y’Abanyabwenge bo ku isi. Twibutse ko yitabye-Imana ageze i Nairobi mu 1981. Ubwo yajyaga mu nama ya UNESCO yaberaga i Paris mu Bufaransa. Ntibyatinze ariko, abategetsi ba Repubulika ya mbere bamubuza kwongera kuvugira ahagaragara, bamufungisha ijisho, ntiyongera gutarabuka ava mu kigo cy’i Butare aho yaratuye. Uko kubuzwa ijambo mu gihugu no mu mahanga byaje guhumira ku mirari aho atoterejwe no kuba yari kwisonga ry’abari barashyigikiye i ngoma y’Ubwami. Ubwo Musenyeri Bigirumwami ni we wari usigaye agihagaze mu gihugu, ba bategetsi bingoma ya gikoroni na Parmehutu bataramuhirika.

Icyo gihe, Rezida w’icyaduka, Colonel Guy Logiest yari amaze kunyaga abategetsi bose b’Abatutsi yarasanze mu gihugu. Amashyaka ya politiki yari yararwaniye ubwigenge nayo yari amaze gutsindwa na Parmehutu, isigaye ariyo yihariye ubutegetsi bw’igihugu. Mu mashyaka yatsinzwe icyo gihe, ayingenzi twavuga ni aya : APROSOMA, UNAR na RADER. Kuva mu 1963, Inyenzi zimaze gutera mu Bugesera, abakuru ba amashyaka nka UNAR na RADER bamaze kwicirwa mu buroko bwa Ruhengeri, nta mutegetsi w’Umututsi wari ukirangwa mu gihugu. Umututsi ugaragara wari ugisigaye mu gihugu icyo gihe yari Musenyeri Bigirumwami. Yari agitinyirwa ko amahanga amuzi kandi ko no muri Vatican kwa Papa bari bakimukomeyeho.
Musenyeri Bigirumwami, nubwo atarabanye neza n’Abategetsi b’ icyo gihe, ariko ntiyahungabanye. Yagumanye amatwara ye yarasanganywe yo kudahuzagurika, yo kudatinya kuvuga ukuri no kwifata gitwari imbere y’Abategetsi b’abanyapolitiki batamushakaga. Iyo myifatire yo kudatinya yagaragaye mu bihe byinshi no kuburyo bwinshi. Tuvuge ingero ibyiri zibigaragaza. Mu 1963, Intumwa ya Papa, Mgr Guy Riobé Umwepiskopi wa Diyosezi ya Orléans mu Bufaransa yaje mu Rwanda kugenzura ibyavugwaga kuri Diyosezi ya Nyundo. Icyavuye muri iryo genzura ni uko Abapadri 4 bo muri Diyoseze baciriwe urubanza rwo kwirukanwa mu gihugu bakajya gushaka ubuhungiro mu mahanga.
Abo Bapadri ni aba : Musenyeri Louis Gasore, Igisonga cya Musenyeri ; Padri Wenceslas Kalibushi, Umucunga-mutungo wa Diyosezi ; Padri Déogratias Mbandiwimfura, Umukuru wa Paruwasi ya Nyundo na Padri Gérard Mwerekande, Umukuru wa Paruwasi ya Mibirizi. Icyo gihano cyatanzwe n’iyo Ntumwa ya Papa kandi abamwohereje atari byo bari bamutumye.

Ahubwo yari yabyongorewe n’Abamisiyoneri ndetse n’Abanyapolitiki bo mu Rwanda bashakaga guca intege Musenyeri Bigirumwami, bamwambura iyo nkoni yari yishingikirije. Abari bamaze gucibwa kandi barangije imyiteguro yo kugenda, Musenyeri Bigirumwami yabasize ku Nyundo ajya kwa Perezida Kayibanda kumubaza icyo abantu be bazize. Kayibanda akimukubita amaso, abona mu maso ye harimwo agahinda n’ubukana bwinshi. Nuko ahaguruka bwangu, avuga nk’utangaye agira ati : Ibyo ni ibiki ! Yungamwo ati: jyewe Kayibanda, kwirukana Abanyarwanda mu Rwanda, ibyo bivuga iki ? Abo Bapadri bawe niba hari ibyaha bakoze, ni Abanyarwanda, kandi u Rwanda rufite amategeko ahana abanyabyaha ariko ntirubohereza mu mahanga. Musenyeri amaze kubyumva arashimira, arasohoka. Ageze hanze abwira umushoferi we ati : imodoka yihe umugeri, mu kanya tube turi ku Nyundo. Akigerayo, akoranya ba Bapadri ababwira inkuru nziza. Imitima isubira mu gitereko abanzi n’abagambanyi batsindwa batyo.

Urugero rwa kabiri rw’ibitotezo bya Diyosezi tutareka kuvuga, rwerekeye ifungwa ry’ Abapadiri bo mu Kinyaga. Igihe Inyenzi zari zimaze gutera mu Bugesera, mu 1963, ku itariki ya 25.12, mu ijoro rya Noheli Abapolisi binjiye mu ma Sengero bafata Abapadiri Bakuru ba za Paluasi bariho basoma Misa. Igitangaje ni uko kuba Inyenzi zarateye mu Burasirazuba bw’u Rwanda byatumye hafatwa Abapadiri bo mu Burengerazuba bw’Igihugu. Abo ba Padiri sibo bari bazizanye, ntibari n’ahatewe ngo byitwe ko bazibereye ibyitso. Ubirebye,ni nka wa mugani ngo : ukubita imbwa aba ashaka shebuja .Bivuze rero ko abagize ibyo, bahanaga Musenyeri Bigirumwami, babuza amahoro ya Noheli muri Diyosezi ye. Abo ba Polisi ngo bari bayobowe n’ umuzungu woherejwe na ya Guvernema y’ Agateganyo yari igizwe na ba Ministiri b’Ababiligi n’Abaparmehutu, ku mubare ungana. Bukeye bwa Noheli Musenyeri Bigirumwami yagiye i Kigali kubaza iby’ayo mahano. Ubwo yavuye i Kigali aca muri Paluasi ya Rulindo aho nari ndi. Ni uko aratubwira ati : mvuye i Kigali, maze kuvugana na Perezida Kayibanda, kandi mubwiye ukuri kwambaye ubusa, ikibyimbye kimeneke !

Ingingo. VII : URUPFU RWAGARAGAJE KO

IJORO RYA POLITIKI RIGIYE GUCYA

Urwo rupfu tuvuga ni urwa Musenyeri Aloys Bigirumwami, rwabaye ku italiki ya 03.06.1986. Urwo rupfu rwabaye zimaze guhindura imirishyo mu Rwanda, Habyarimana amaze gusimbura Kayibanda. Uyu mugabo kandi aho amariye gufata ubutegetsi, ntiyibagiwe ineza Musenyeri Bigirumwami yari yaramugiriye. Nkuko yari yarafashije ise wari umwarimu muri Paruwasi ya Rambura, nawe ubwe yari yaramufashije kujya mu Iseminari Nto y’ i Kabgayi. Aho ahirukaniwe, Musenyeri amufasha kubona irindi shuri i Bukavu. Tugiye kubona ukuntu iyo neza Habyarimana atayibagiwe. Sindi umugome wo kwishimira ibyago by’ abandi. Icyo nifuza ni ukugaragaza ibyateye impinduka z’ icyo gihe. Musenyeri Bigirumwami amaze kubona ko ntacyo agishoboye gukorana n’ abamurwanyaga, yandikiye Papa amusaba ikiruhuko cy’ izabukuru nubwo yari ataragera ku myaka ibitegenyirijwe. Urwo ruhushya yarubonye ku italiki ya 31.03.1973. Ku italiki ya 05.07.1973, Général Juvenal Habyarimana akura ku butegetsi Perezida Grégoire Kayibanda. Yongeraho no kwicisha ba Ministre be bose, ba batsinda mu buroko bwo mu Ruhengeri. Kayibanda nawe amaze gufungirwa iminsi mike ku Karwa ko mu Kiyaga cya Ruhondo, bamugarura iwe i Kabgayi, bamufungira mu kazu ke kahoze ahitwa i Kavumu. Aho ni ho yaguye kandi ahambwa n’ abanyururu bane bo mu buroko bw’ i Gitarama. Bamuhambye mu irimbi ry’ i Kabgayi ntawundi muntu umuherekeje nta n’ ijambo ryo kumusezeraho rivuzwe mu gihugu. Nguko uko yarangije ubuzima bwe ku isi uwari wararemye ingoma ya Parmehutu kandi agahirikwa n’ undi muhutu.

Inkuru yuko Général Juvenal Habyarimana yicaje Grégoire Kayibanda, nayimenye narageze i Bujumbura aho nari narahungiye intambara yari yarashojwe n’ abamurwanyaga. Numvise iyo nkuru ndikumwe na ba Bapadri n ’Abafratri bo ku Nyundo. N’uko turibwira tuti: Musenyeri Bigirumwami iyo abimenya ntaba yarasezeye kuko uwimye ingoma ari umwana yirereye. Kandi koko Habyarimana aho amariye kuba Prezida, kugeza aho Musenyeri Bigirumwami yitabiye Imana, yagumye kugaragaza ko atibagiwe iyo neza yamugiriye. Cyane byanagaragaye umunsi Musenyeri yitabiye Imana. Kuri uwo munsi, habaye ikiruhuko mu gihugu cyose cyo kunamira uwo Mubyeyi watahutse. Prezida Habyarimana yatanze iyo congé kugirango yumvishe Abanyarwanda bose, ndetse n’ abatamukunda, akamaro Musenyeri Bigirumwami yagiriye igihugu cyose. Igitangaje rero, kandi twashakaga kwibutsa, ni uko Umuprezida umwe yashatse kumuhitana amuziza ko ari umututsi, undi akamuhesha icyubahiro, kandi abo ba Prezida bombi ari abahutu. Ikibabaje ariko n’ uko uwo mutima mwiza Habyarimana yagaragaje ari wa mutima muhanano utuzura igituza. Ntibyamubujije kwibuka ko yonse ibere rimwe na Kayibanda, rimwe bise hutu-power. Habyarimana yabyaye MRND ikurikira Parmehutu ya Kayibanda kandi bombi bashaka kwimika ingoma ya Gahutu igamije guhonyora Gatutsi. Ntibyanatinze koko, mu 1994, iyo gahunda yashyizwe mu bikorwa. Icyo batari bateganyije ariko n’ uko umutego mutindi wica nyirawo. Kandi ngo urwishigishiye ni we urusoma.
Urupfu rwa Kayibanda n’ urwa Habyarimana ndetse n’ urwa abatutsi bishwe muri genocide, byabaye timbi mahwi. Gahunda y’ amacakubiri babyaye ni yo yabahitanye. Kandi bombi bishwe n’abo bari barakijije. Wa mugani ngo Abo wahaye amata ni bo bakwimye amatwi. Tugere rero kuri ya ngingo y’uko urupfu rwa Musenyeri Bigirumwami, rwatumye ahabwa icyubahiro n’ abakunzi ndetse n’abanzi byaracaga amarenga y’ ibindi bisa na byo. Ni ko byagenze koko, urupfu rw’ Abatutsi bo muri Genocide rwakurikiwe n’ igitangaza cyabaye ku italiki ya 04.07.1994. Kuri uwo munsi, Abana b’ Abanyarwanda bari baraheze mu mahanga, nibwo basakaye i Kigali, mu murwa w’ u Rwanda. Umugaba w’ Ingabo z’ Inkotanyi abarangaje imbere, yacetse umudende mu gicumbi cy’ u Rwanda ati : sugira, sagamba, Rwanda, ntukagwabire !
Reka twibutse ibyabaye imbere yiyo taliki y’ ibohozwa rya Kigali. Sibwo bwa mbere amaraso y’ inzirakarengane abyarira umugisha abazikomokaho. Nkuko tubizi, igiti cyiza cyose cyera imbuto nziza, ikibi nacyo kikera imbuto mbi. Hari umukurambere w’ abakristu wari utuye i Carthage ho muri Tunisiya witwaga Tertullien. Uwo mugabo niwe wavuze neza ati: « Amaraso yabahowe Imana ni urubuto rweraho umuryango wa Kiliziya». Duhereye kuri iyi mvugo tukayerekeza ku byabaye mu Rwanda, twashobora kugira tuti: Genocide y’ Abatutsi, yatangiye mu mwaka w’1959 ikageza mu 1994, ni yo yatanze umusaruro w’ ibohorwa ry’ u Rwanda dukesha Ingabo za FPR- Inkotanyi. Birumvikana. Amaraso y’ abantu barenze igihumbi, bazize gusa ko ari Abatutsi, kandi icyo cyaha cyarakozwe n’ Imana yabaremye, ntiyari gupfa ubusa. Mu by’ ukuri, Genocide bivuga kwica ubwoko, biba binavuga gushaka kwica Imana yaremye ubwo bwoko. Birumvikana rero ko ukoze icyaha cya Genocide, Imana itabura kukimuhanira. Bitabaye muri ubu buzima, icyo gihano kiba kimuteganyirijwe nyuma y’ urupfu.
Tugaruke kubyerekeye Prezida Habyarimana. Agifata ubutegetsi, yatangiye avuga ijambo ry’ amahoro ritari riherutse mu gihugu. Ikibabaje ni uko iyo mvugo itatinze kugaragaza ko yari imvugo ya nyirarureshwa. Ndetse ahubwo gahunda ya MRND ye yaje irusha ubugome iya Parmehutu ya Kayibanda. Ibyo byagaragariye cyane mu gushyira mu bikorwa ibi byemezo tugiye kuvuga. Icya mbere ni ukuba yarashyizeho itegeko ry’ irondakoko risumbanya Abanyarwanda mu mashuri no mu kazi ka leta. Icya Kabiri ni ukuba yarabujije icyitwa Umututsi cyose kujya mu ngabo z’ igihugu. Icya Gatatu ni ukuba yarambuye impunzi uburenganzira bwo kugaruka mu gihugu no kubatoteza aho bahungiye. Iyi ngingo ya nyuma ni yo yakoze mu jisho impunzi iba n’imbarutso yo gutuma zifata intwaro. Ku italiki yambere, Ukwakira, kwakira inka amazi, mu mwaka wa 1990, impunzi ziturutse mu Bugande zinjiriye ku mupaka wa Kagitumba. Baje bavuga bati: iki gihugu ni icyacu, ushaka kudukoma imbere, nakenyere tujye mu mudiho. Ibyakurikiyeho turabizi. Intambara yarabaye hagati y’ ingabo za FPR-Inkotanyi n’iza Leta y’ u Rwanda, zishyigikiwe n’amahanga yo mu bihugu bya kure n’ibya hafi muri Afurika. Rumaze kubura gica, habaho imishyikirano hagati y’ abarwanaga.
Ibera mu mujyi wa Arusha muri Tanzaniya. Imyanzuro yiyo mishyikirano ibaye gusangira ubutegetsi kubarwanaga, abo kwa Habyarimana basanga iyo myanzuro badashobora kuyemera. Hakurikiyeho nyine icyari gisigaye : gutsemba Abatutsi bari mu gihugu no gushoza inkundura ku zo bitaga Twa Tunyenzi tw’i Bugande. Icyakurikiye ayo mirariro turakizi : Habyarimana yarapfuye, ingabo ze zihungira muri Congo, zishoreye bugwate umuhutu wese zishyikiriye. Iyo sahaha yose yarangijwe n’umutsindo wa FPR-Inkotanyi no gushinga Guvernema y’ ubumwe bw’ Abanyarwanda. Aho bigeze aha, muri uyu mwaka wa 2011, iyo Guvernema y’ ubumwe bw’ Abanyarwanda ni yo ikiturangaje imbere. Gahunda yayo iri mu ngingo eshatu: ubumwe, amajyambere, ubutabera. Imana y’ i Rwanda ihe umugisha iyo migambi.


Ingingo ya VIII: IGISINGIZO CYA MUSENYERI BIGIRUMWAMI


Iki gisigo ni igisingizo natuye Musenyeri Bigirumwami. Namwise Mugabwambere kuko ari we wa mbere mu Bepiskopi ba banyarwanda.Kuba Umwepiskopi byabaye icyemezo cy’ uko ubukristo bwashinze imizi mu Rwanda. Byanamuhaye kuba ummuvugizi w’ u Rwanda igihe rwarwaniraga gusubirana ubwigenge. Iki gisigo cyavuzwe n’ uwagihimbye, ari we Bernardin MUZUNGU, wari umuseminari icyo gihe. Ubwo hari kumugoroba w’umunsi Musenyeri Bigirumwami ahabwa Ubwepiskopi. Nasanze byaba byiza kurangiriza iyi nyandiko yibutsa imyaka 25 kuri iki gisigo kivuga amacumu ye. Kiranibutsa icyubahiro n’urukundo mufitiye kuva iyo myaka yose. Iki gisigo kirimo ingingo enye : kugaragaza ko yari akwiye uwo mwanya wo muri urwo rwego, kurata akamaro ka Paluwasi Gatolika eshanu za mbere, kuvuga ubutwari bw’ abasaserdoti b’ i Rwanda, kwifuriza ishya n’ihirwe Umwepiskopi mushya.

01. Mugabwa-mbere wa Rugarukira-ngabo, ngombwa mu z’imbere

02. Zingiro ry’Abazindukiye-kuganza, Nzira nziza yatugendekeye neza

03. Nimumpe amatwi Bene- Mugabumwe, mbabwire ibigwi by’uyu Muhizi

04. Twaramukiye ku gicaniro cyo kwa Kanyarwanda, dukuriraubwatsi

Nyirubwenge buzira ubwoba,

05. Nyirubwende buzira ubwangwe, Nyirubwuzu buzira ihubuka

06. Wadukuye mu izige uba Muzigirwa, udukoma imanga imanitse ho urupfu

07. Ndavuga Imana Nyirubumanzi, Iyi yaduhanze ikaduha ivuko iri

08. Mbe nu, Nyirubugingo bugize ubwacu, reka dusubire mu macumu

09. Aya wacanuje Bene-Gicuku muri iki gicaniro cy’u Rwanda

10. Dore uru Rwanda murora rwose, rwari rwimitse Serwevu

11. Ingoma y’ingunzu z’Amashitani, yari iwacu aha mu gicumbi,

icumu rihoga itubuza ihumure
12. Yari ingoma y’ikizima yimitse Ikizige, Nyirikizuru gipfuna umunyotwe

13. Yari amage ya Manga-make aragira imanga, igihugu cyose gicuze umwijima

14. Nawe uwakiganje ubwo acyomongana mwo agihova

15. Yabaga atetse ari Ryangombe, ateye umuhara ari Nyabirungu,

ateretse intango yuje ubworo.

16. Ubwo Miliyoni z’Amashitani, zishebetse zishuka abantu

17. Maze urwo rucanda rwazo rero, uru rw’uducibiri rwo mw’icongori

18. Ruri ku micuko rucumukuruza rucura inkumbi

19. Nazo nyamunsi izi z’amakungu, izi zakundiwe n’ubukana-ndoro

20. Zikubye urwari zirwandavuza, zirweyereye ruhindanye

21. Abapfumu bacu byarabasize, Abahannyi bacu barahogoye,

ibyo gupfa nabi byadupfanye

22. Nibwo Mushokana-bwira wa Rwegura-ntebyi, abwiye Musenyeri Hiriti

23. Ati : jya mu Rwanda dore n’urwandiko mbiguhereye, ngo uzaruhe Abanyarwanda

24. Ni Umusaraba rumuri rw’isi, Muzahura w’ibyazimiye, Muzamuzi w’ibyo asanze

25. Yawuhingukanye mu Rwanda, rubona wakirana buzuba,

wagabye imyambi waka inzora.

26. Maze abatawuzi bagwa gitumo, ngo witerwa ku isi yabo

27. Ariko umwete uturutse ibukuru, ukura usagamba usa

n’urushyana, mbese ukwira igihugu cyose

28. Nawo Umusaraba ushingwa i Save, uhuga Rwijima mu Nkoto

29. Iz’i Mwaka Murasanandekwe aziroha ikibira

30. I Ruganda iyo zaganditse ku ruganda, Munya-nganzo azigira umwango umwe

31. Nazo izarengeye i Renza-mwaro rya Murera zirohwa Urugezi

32. Maze ukubutse i Bunyaga bwa Rukarishya, wagagaje inkiko

zose, weza amaso ugaruka ugarutse

33. Aho i KABGAYI ubwo urahashima, nibwo uhashinze inteko itayega

34. Iba ikirezi cya Kiliziya yo mu Rwanda, iba ikirambi

warambya mwo nturambirwe iba Ikiraro cy’iremezo mu Marangara

35. Nibwo Musenyeri asabye ikibanza, aboneza intwaro ararwanisha

36. Nayo Nyamunsi ibuze aho isinda bwa busembwa bwayisabye, irasodoka isanga izayo

37. Intebe y’u Rwanda iterwa neza, Umwami Yezu ayigira inteko ye

38. Maze umushumba uyu wagishinzwe, nibwo akibwirije Misiyoni

39. Nazo zisenyura iwa Rusenzi, zisiga itongo ritangaje

40. Imitima itahwa mwo n’ituze, Yezu aturira mwo n’urugwiro,

akurura abantu ariyegereza

41. Atora intore aziha n’intizo, azigema itorero Seminari

42. Babyiruka neza Bene- Muvuna-ngoma, Ingabe igomba ingabo bayegama imbere

43. Ba Bashyitsi badushyikirizaga ubukire, bukenewe iwacu batabwa icyena

44. Nyiricyubahiro abacyura iwe, abaha icyicaro kibakwiye, ati :

nimugwire mbaraze urwunguko.

45. Ba Bahire b’i Buhanzi, baba impagata mu mpambara za mbere

46. Beruye ubukaka mu bukumira-ngune, bwa bugune bwabo

bugwa i Bugwabiza-migisha
47. Aba Bamenyesha-Mana, mubo nsabira baragasugira:

48. Bavuye i Buzi-buzi bwa kurya, baje i Bwanza-nyoni Abanyemazi

49. Badukamira amata mu kitava ntitugire umuvuro, imvune ivutse ubwo akayivura

50. Basanze u Rwanda ruva imwonga bafata iyambere

51. Baza ari ba Ngo-dukire, imikiko yose tukabakesha imigisha

52. Baduha amategeko akiri matoto, abatayatoye bakitera ikinyago

53 Batubereye amaboko akura asaga tubisunga ubwo,

dutunga twatembaga baturinda gutebera.

54. Yezu yigarurira u Rwanda yari yarwenze mu rwengengo

55. Maze Uburiza bwarwo rero, amugenera izina rizimikwa, rikazambikwa imigisha

56. Maze umunsi wo kuriterurwa, wabaye umunsi utagira isumbe,

ni nawo twise isoko y’isugi

57. Imitwe y’u Rwanda yari iteranye, yari itaramye irushengereye

58. Uwo yabonye nibwo abasumbye, abasiga hasi ajya mu ruhando

59. Aturitsa agira ati : Yezu Mwami, dore uru Rwanda nirwo

wampaye, ndarugutuye si ubutize

60. Ndarugushinze nta shiti iri mwo, ndanarushibuye nirugushagare

61. Utakwemeye si uwanjye, utakwimitse Mwimanyi, akwiye kwitwa inyanga-rwanda

62. Dore ngutuye ikamba ryanjye, mbogoye u Rwanda

ndugize urwawe, urajye ururinda ibiriza-munsi

63. Yezu Mwami w’Abanyarwanda, niko kubwira intumwa ye Papa ati :

64. Dore u Rwanda ruraneje, kandi Umwami warwo rero

65. Sinkimwise izina rusange, kuko yansumbiye

n’abasanzwe, genda umuhe impeta y’Ikirenga

66. Iminsi isubitse igika intera nto, nibwo twumvanye inkubiri

67. Inkuru y’inkuke iturutse i Roma, ngo twabonye

irembo mwacu, mu Bazira-nkende b’Iziruguru

68. Impundu zivuga urwunge, imihayo ihabwa imihare

hose, amashyi arashyana yo ashyira kera

69. Nawe uwo yahanze ijisho ryiza, yanamuhaye izina bahwanye,

niko kumwita BIGIRUMWAMI

70. Abaye uwa mbere mu ntore, abaye uwa mbere mu ntwari,

71. Abaye intumwa y’inturuka-Rwanda, nimumurebe ni we “Mugabwa- mbere”

72. Ye Mushumba ushokeye iz’i Bushira-shavu, jya utema uhuga uraziruhure

73. Urazihe amazi urazihe meza, maze uzishore ku mbuga y’ubugingo

74. Ye Mushumba mushira-bwema, jya uhora ushishikarira ishimwe

75. Ukenyere ucyahe abagukerensa, ubyaze uburiza ubyaze

ubuheta, maze abatatuzi bajye bakurora

76. Nyirigihagararo gihingamiye abaduhaya, jya uhora wiha inganji imbata ya Bugabo

77. Si iyanana ry’ibintu ngusabira, i Busagira-migisha bwa

Busage, ni ubusugi buzera i Busambira-misako.

78. Ikuzo riremejwe ntibikuka, kuko wahawe ubukuru cyane

79. Wahise Abene uranabasumba, aho mu kirere uhaba ikirenga,

maze uba umushumba ushinzwe iza Se

80. Urazihe urwuri ruri ku Rwuya, imbuga yarwo ikaba ubugingo.

81. Uritonde utere ibizera, utege ibituriye ureke ibitumbwe, ejo utazitera ikinyago

82. Inkoni izishumbiye nicyura, urajye uyihereza uwo uzikesha

83. Nayo amahamba aya ajya azicyura, ntuyakesha undi utari Kiliziya

84. Mbe Rwanda ko wamuje ubutoni n’ubutwari, ukaba uteye urwamu ukiri muto

85. Ukaba ushyiditse imihigo n’abagutanze imyaka kare ijana,

86. Nugera mu bukwerere wabaye ubukombe, uko urora ayo majyambere uzayageza he!

87. Nkuye ubwatsi ga Nyirurwunguko: ugumye wiyambike urugwiro

88. Ugarishye wamagane ubugwari, yamara du bose bazareba

* * *

BISHOP ALOYS BIGIRUMWAMI,

A SHINING STAR IN THE POLITICAL DARKNESS OF RWANDA


0. INTRODUCTION
The complete title of this subject matter is: Bishop Aloys Bigirumwami, a shining star during the political darkness of the colonialo-parmehutu coalition. I have since a long time the desire to write something on Bishop Bigirumwami. In 2009, the Secretariat of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Rwanda published a booklet on Bishop Bigirumwami. The reading of this booklet did not quench my thirst. In fact, what I intend to do primarily is to say something on the person and the work of this person who appeared to be a shining star during the time of political darkness in Rwanda. The first contact I had with him was on the very day he was ordained bishop. At this moment, I was in the Junior Seminary of Kabyayi. Later, I met him at the Senior Seminary of Nyakibanda where he often came to visit his seminarians and to exchange views with lecturers on the situation of the seminary where political divisions had already started. And when I was serving at Rulindo Parish, he often stopped there to greet us while going or coming from Kigali. In 1972, I had joined the Community of Dominican Fathers which was operating at the National University of Rwanda in Butare, founded and managed by these Fathers. When the violence that broke out in schools all over the country reached the University, I had to flee to Burundi. For a few years, I resided in the Junior Seminary of Bujumbura where I was giving some lectures. Later, together with the first Burundian Dominican, we founded the Dominican Community of Bujumbura which still exists and thrives. In 1982, I went to work in Kinshasa where I lived in the Dominican Community while teaching at the University. There too, Bishop Bigirumwami met with me when he was invited by Cardinal Malula to attend the conference of the African Historians of the Great Lakes Region. This time, he had just taken his retirement as bishop of Nyundo Diocese. A bit later I met him in his retirement home at Kigufi where I used to come to rest and consult him. In all these meetings, I had the opportunity to know this great man: his nobility of soul, the depth of his Christian approach of things as well as the perspicacity of his analysis of political problems facing our country. I must acknowledge that even after his death, I still keep a spiritual contact with him. I do not mean that I pray for him, I request him to implore peace and prosperity for Rwanda. I am sure that he is in heaven because if he were not there, that would mean that heaven does not simply exist!
Very recently, while I was still cherishing the idea of writing something about Monsignor, a providential occasion came. Friends of Bishop Bigirumwami wanted to commemorate 25 years of his death which happened exactly on 03. 06. 1986. They agreed to associate me to this commemoration. Seizing that lifetime opportunity, I hastily answered yes and now propose myself to put forward in writing the following ideas: A Diocese placed under the shelter of the Holly Spirit, Independence of the government of this Diocese, Training of the clergy, A cultural in-depth Evangelization, Appointment of bishops and the ethnic problem, Attitude of a bishop with regard to the country’s authorities and A Death that predicted the end of the night. That is the scope that we shall follow. As will be seen, this scope does not follow a chronological order. It simply aligns various facts and events, whose link consists in underlining elements contained in the heading of this writing, i.e. how the Bishop was a providential shining star during the political misfortunes that befell our country all along his episcopate. Before delving deep into this subject matter, here is a short preamble. A shining star in the darkness, what does it mean? It is Bishop Bigirumwami himself who suggests us this heading by his earlier intuitions. Those are found in the text of the Bible saying: “When the Pentecost arrived, the Apostles were gathered together all of them. Suddenly occurred from the sky a noise like that of a violent wind: the house in which they were gathered was very filled with it; then appeared to them as tongues of fire which were divided and posed on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and started to speak other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to express themselves” (Act 2,1-4). It is from there where the idea came that Monsignor, after having himself received the light of the Holy Spirit, could be a lamp for us in our political darkness.
It is on February 14, 1952 that the Decree of appointing Father Aloys Bigirumwami as bishop of the new Diocese of Nyundo was signed by Pope Pie XII, on proposal of Monsignor Pierre Sigismond, Apostolic Delegate of the Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi. This appointment came during the years when the movement of claiming the independence of the African countries started to shake the whole continent. A book entitled Black priests wonder (Paris, 1956) marks this awakening. Among the signatories of this book was a certain Alexis Kagame. It can be easily assumed that Father Aloys Bigirumwami, his compatriot, was aware of this awakening, because this wind had not spared Rwanda. King Mutara Rudahigwa and his chiefs seized the same opportunity to demand, as well, the recovery of the national sovereignty of Rwanda. Seeing this, the Belgian colonizer shouted at the ingratitude: “You Tutsi, you were exclusively given the authority of the country at the expense of Hutu and it is now you who want to drive us out of the country? We will show you what you’ll see! Such was, in short, the national and international context in which the appointment of Bishop Bigirumwami fell.