Since news broke that prosecutors in Paris are appealing the case of Agatha Kanziga, widow of Habyarimana, following a lower court’s decision to absolve her of crimes of genocide, her children have rushed online, trying to clean her image.
Of the rubbish stories they have been peddling, they claim their mother had “nothing to do with the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.” Some even have gone as far as twisting past court decisions to fit their story. But the truth is stronger than tweets, and it was proven in courtrooms, not on social media.
International judges at the Arusha-based court didn’t rely on rumors or emotions. They examined the facts, listened to witnesses, and scrutinized evidence. Jean Bosco Barayagwiza, for example, was one of the founders of RTLM, the radio station that spread hate 24/7, exhorting people to kill their Tutsi neighbors mercilessly. Barayageiza was found guilty of helping plan the genocide.
That verdict is part of history and cannot be erased by anyone’s twitter post.
Another key case is Jean-Paul Akayesu. He was a local mayor who let the killings happen in his area. Even worse, he was involved in rape and torture of women during the genocide. In 1998, the court found him guilty of genocide—the first person in the case to receive that conviction on merit of Genocide committed in Rwanda. His actions were clearly proven and recorded in the court’s judgment.
And then there is Théoneste Bagosora, a top army officer and cabinet aid who took charge after President Habyarimana’s plane was shot down. Together with Agatha Kanziga, He used his power to organize mass killings across the country. The court called him one of the main people behind the genocide, and he was sentenced to life in prison.
These people were part of a powerful group that helped plan and carry out the genocide. Agatha Habyarimana was closely linked to this group—known as the clique *Akazu*. That’s why she is still being investigated. It’s not about blaming one family. It’s about holding everyone accountable, no matter their name or status.
Kanziga’s children can post whatever they want online. But justice doesn’t change because someone wants to protect their mother’s name. The truth about the genocide is clear, and it was confirmed by international courts. No amount of online storytelling will erase what really happened in 1994.
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