Rwanda – New revelations from Rwanda’s Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Jean Damascène Bizimana, have brought renewed attention to allegations that former BBC journalist Ally Yusuf Mugenzi played a significant role in promoting genocide denial narratives over the past decades.
Speaking during the 32nd commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Kiziguro, Gatsibo District, Minister Bizimana detailed what he described as a long-standing campaign to distort historical truth and shield perpetrators.
According to the Minister, Mugenzi allegedly collaborated as early as 1996 with Juvenal Bahufite, a former intelligence official within defeated forces, to use media platforms as tools for ideological influence. Their reported strategy included promoting the controversial claim that Rwanda experienced “two genocides”—a narrative widely rejected by scholars and international legal bodies.
Officials argue that such messaging was designed to blur accountability and prevent those responsible for the 1994 atrocities from facing justice, particularly through mechanisms such as the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
Minister Bizimana further alleged that programming on BBC platforms, including widely followed analysis shows, was used to amplify voices that minimized or denied the genocide. These efforts, he said, were part of a broader network involving former senior military officials.
In recent years, the controversy has intensified as Mugenzi is accused of openly expressing skepticism about the genocide, a position that Rwandan authorities strongly condemn as dangerous and divisive.
The Minister emphasized that Rwanda continues to prioritize truth, unity, and remembrance, warning against ideologies that attempt to rewrite history or sow division among citizens.
The issue also extends to diaspora-based organizations. Bizimana pointed to groups such as Jambo ASBL, reportedly founded by descendants of individuals linked to genocide perpetrators, accusing them of continuing to spread denial narratives on international platforms.
Mugenzi, who spent over 27 years working within the BBC’s Kinyarwanda and Kirundi services, officially departed the organization in 2023 after announcing his resignation on social media.
As Rwanda marks over three decades since the genocide, officials say confronting denial and preserving historical truth remains central to national unity and global awareness efforts.
The evidences of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda is unforgettable and here to stay
