History of Rwanda History of Rwanda Human occupation of Rwanda is thought to have begun shortly after the last ice age. By the 16th century, the inhabitants had organized into a number of kingdoms. In the 19th century, "Mwami" (king) Rwabugiri of the Kingdom of Rwanda conducted a decades-long process of military conquest and administrative consolidation that resulted in the kingdom coming to control most of what is now Rwanda. The colonial powers, Germany and Belgium, allied with the Rwandan court. A convergence of anti-colonial, and anti-Tutsi sentiment resulted in Belgium granting national independence in 1962. Direct elections resulted in a representative government
Sport in Rwanda of the Commonwealth has been credited with helping popularise cricket in the country, with both men and women playing it in orphanages, schools, universities and cricket clubs. Cycling has traditionally been seen largely as a mode of transport in Rwanda, but in recent times there has been a growth in cycle sport in the country. Mountain biker and road cyclist Adrien Niyonshuti became the first Rwandan to sign a professional contract with an international cycling team, joining MTN Qhubeka in 2009. A national cycling team, Team Rwanda, was established in 2007 by Americans Jock Boyer, a former professional cyclist, and