Ibigabiro bya Nyamasheke

King Kigeri IV Rwabugiri ruled Rwanda from 1853 to 1895 and had many capitals in the country. One of the capitals were on the bordering parts of the country for his preparations military expeditions for the expansion of the country. One of the bordering Rwabugiri’s capitals was in Kinyaga at Mataba in Nyamasheke, built for preparation to attack Ijwi and Ubunyabungo. The place of the former king’s palace is currently in Gikuyu Village, Ninzi Cell, Kagano Sector, Nyamasheke District.

Nyamasheke had the most famous Rwabugiri’s palace mainly for two reasons:

1. When the German Comte Von Gotzen first arrived in Rwanda, Rwabugiri was in Nyamasheke and he left in order to receive him at Kageyo (in Ngororero) in May 1894. After the German’s visit, Rwabugiri returned to Nyamasheke where he presided over the Harvest feast ceremonies in June 1894, and then attacked Bunyabungo.

2. Rwabugiri’s dead body was taken from Nyamasheke to Rutare (Gicumbi) for burial. Rwabugiri got poisoned in Ibinjja Island, when on his way to Bunyabungo for a military expedition. Sailors immediately put him on board of a boat and brought him back to Rwanda, but he died in the middle way before landing (Kagame 1975: 103). Regarding the death, although Rwabugiri was poisoned in Bushi, some authors suspected that Kanjogera and other prominent family members were probably indirectly involved because, after officially announcing that Rutarindwa would be his successor, they wanted Rwabugiri to die so as to be able to enthrone Musinga – Kanjogera’s son; and therefore the Abega clan would recover their power in ruling the country (Honke,1990: 78).

Near the King’s palace in Nyamasheke there are giant royal sycamore trees in the south side of Nyamasheke Mission in front of St Joseph’s High School. There is also a small Murwa Peninsula where Rwabugiri’s herds were grazed.