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
Catholic Church in Rwanda Catholic Church in Rwanda The Catholic Church in Rwanda is part of the Catholic Church. There are just over five million Catholics in Rwanda—about half of the total population. The country is divided into nine dioceses including one archdiocese. The Rwandan government reported on November 1, 2006, that 56.5% of the Rwanda's population is Catholic. On November 20, 2016, the Catholic Church in Rwanda released a statement apologizing for the role of its members in the genocide in 1994. "We apologize for all the wrongs the church committed. We apologize on behalf of all Christians for all forms of wrongs