Resource 4: The Ruzagayura famine – 1943-1944

Introduction

The Ruzagayura famine of 1943-44 was a major famine which occurred during the time when Rwanda was colonised by Belgium. It occurred during the Second World War and the affects were made worse by the attempts of the colonial authorities to send agricultural produce and livestock to the Belgian Congo, as part of the Allied war effort.

The famine began around October 1943 and ended in December 1944. It covered almost all of Rwanda, with the exception of the territory of Shangugu. This territory in the southwest of the country has a microclimate that protected it from the drought that was experienced elsewhere.

The drought caused considerable damage and suffering. Corpses littered the roads and countryside, and starving, emaciated people roamed the hills in search of food. People had to eat wild plants, the roots of banana trees or ferns, or fruits of acacias, none of which was very nutritious. To survive, some people exchanged their possessions for food. The famine led to a large number of deaths and a huge migration of people from Rwanda to neighbouring Belgian Congo and British Uganda.

Causes

The famine was caused by a number of factors, both natural and man-made:

• Successive periods of drought in September and October 1942, April and May 1943, and October 1943.
• During 1943 potatoes, sweet potatoes and beans were destroyed by fungus such as mildew and Rhizoctonia, and the bean seed fly.
• The war meant that crops and animals were required as food for the Belgian army in Congo, extra workers in the tin mines in the Congo, and British forces stationed in Uganda and Tanganyika. Food was therefore taken out of Rwanda, just when it was needed to feed the population.

Effects

There were more and more criticisms of the war effort from Rwandan civilians, the missionaries, local leaders and the King of Rwanda, Mutara III Rudahigwa. The Christian missionaries began to transport food to a supply point in Bujumbura, so it could be given to Rwandan civilians. The King of Rwanda also sent help to the affected region and eventually the colonial administration helped. People began protesting against the mandatory provision of food and livestock to mining companies.

Although people in the Congo and the Belgian Government, in exile in London, were aware of the famine and the devastating effects, the Belgian people were not. Belgium was occupied by the Germany Army at the time, and across Europe, the main focus was on trying to defeat Hitler.

Further Reading

Singiza, D. (2012) Ruzagayura, une famine au Rwanda au Coeur de Second Conflit mondial, IHOES [online]. Available at http://www.ihoes.be/ publications_en_ligne.php?action=lire&id=104&ordre=numero (Accessed 2008).

Wikipedia (2015) The Ruzagayura Famine [online] 17 November 2015. Available at https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Ruzagayura_famine (Accessed 2008).