The African Great Lakes region has long been the scene of conflict and instability. For centuries, the different kingdoms and peoples of this region competed for the conquest of new lands and the acquisition of wealth. Among these kingdoms, Bukunzi and Busozo played a role of buffer zone between the kingdom of Ruanda and the neighboring kingdoms.
Bukunzi, located in the west of present-day Rwanda, has long been a rebel against the kings of Ruanda and the German colonizers. The inhabitants of this region, nicknamed “the rainmaking kings”, had precise meteorological knowledge and could make the rain fall. This skill enabled them to maintain their autonomy from the kings of Ruanda, who needed their services during periods of drought.
However, the death of King Ndagano Ruhagata marked the end of Bukunzi rule. After his disappearance, the kingdom was conquered and placed under the control of the court of Ruanda. The resistance of the Bukunzi died out and its people were persecuted and killed.
Today, few traces of the Bukunzi kingdom remain, but its history recalls the importance of territorial and economic conflicts in the African Great Lakes region. Wars for the acquisition of new land and wealth have marked this region for centuries, long before the Rwandan genocide of 1994 and the Congo war.
Understanding the complex and tumultuous history of the African Great Lakes region is essential to understanding the current challenges it faces