APA-Kigali (Rwanda) A former Rwandan Minister of Defense Gen. Marcel Gatsinzi has died at the age of 74 after suffering health problems for the past three months, a close relative confirmed to APA in Kigali.
“It is true, Gen. Gatsinzi passed on in Brussels (Belgium) where he has been undergoing medical treatment,” said a close member of his family.
Gatsinzi who retired from the army in 2013 served as defence minister for eight years before he was transferred to head the then newly created Ministry for Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs in 2010.
He was a member of the Cabinet until February 2013.
Gen. Gatsinzi’s military career began at the Kigali Military Academy in 1970 where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in March 1970.
He pursued his military career courses in Belgium at Heverlee (Louvain) in the School of Logistics in 1971 and in Brussels at the Royal High Institute of Defence from 1974 to 1976.
Beside the military assignments in the Rwandan Army, Colonel Gatsinzi served in the OAU Neutral Military Observer Group set by the Organization of African Unity. That OAU NMOG was meant to monitor the cease fire during the period of the negotiations between the Government and the RPF during the Rwandan Civil War (1990–1994). He also participated in the negotiations process.
During the genocide, from 6 to 17 April 1994 he served as Army Chief of Staff of the defeated Rwandan Armed Forces.
Because he advocated a more moderate approach and opposed expansion of the genocide, he was removed from the post and was replaced.
CU/APA