Kanziga was a central figure in Akazu, an influential network of close relatives and allies of Habyarimana that has been accused of fueling and directing anti-Tutsi violence, accusations she has rejected for many years.
She left Rwanda for Europe on 9 April 1994 at the request of then French President François Mitterrand, a close ally of Habyarimana.
Since her arrival in France, Rwanda has repeatedly requested her extradition or prosecution there over alleged involvement in the Genocide, but neither has taken place.
Speaking at the launch of a book by genocide survivor Yolande Mukagasana, Dr. Bizimana said genocide denial and minimization are increasingly visible among some young people, particularly descendants of those convicted of genocide-related crimes.
He cited the Habyarimana family as an example, saying they deny responsibility for planning the Genocide against the Tutsi.
The minister maintained that Kanziga herself should be regarded as a perpetrator because of her alleged role in preparing the genocide.
He also criticized public efforts by Habyarimana's sons, Jean-Luc and Léon, to portray their father as innocent, arguing that historical evidence contradicts that narrative.
'The wife of Habyarimana, Agathe Kanziga, was indeed among those who planned the Genocide,' he said. 'But her sons; Jean-Luc and Léon Habyarimana, spend their time trying to glorify their father, Juvénal Habyarimana, who planned and put the genocide machinery in place. They present him as innocent, which is astonishing, because he was a central figure in those crimes.'
Although often publicly portrayed simply as the president's spouse, Kanziga was, according to the minister, part of the inner political and military circle that planned and implemented the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Accounts presented by the minister describe her as holding deeply hostile views toward Tutsi and opposing the Arusha peace negotiations.
He cited family tensions that reportedly arose when some of her children formed relationships with Tutsi partners.
One example mentioned was her reported opposition to a relationship involving her eldest son while he was studying in France. He also noted longstanding ties between her family and that of businessman Félicien Kabuga.
Alleged role in genocide planning
According to Dr. Bizimana, hostility toward Tutsi intensified among members of Akazu after the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) launched its armed struggle in October 1990. He said Kanziga and her close associates became more actively involved in planning activities that later fed into the Genocide.
He alleged that she participated in meetings linked to preparations for mass violence and supported initiatives associated with the Interahamwe militia.
The minister also referred to meetings held in early 1991 involving senior political and military figures, where plans and resources were discussed, including funding, logistics, and mobilization of civilians.
Further meetings cited included gatherings at private residences in Kigali and Gisenyi in the early 1990s, as well as a February 1994 meeting at a hotel in Rebero aimed at fundraising for Interahamwe activities.
Dr. Bizimana also suggested that Kanziga and a close circle of relatives exercised significant influence within power structures at the time.
In a recent interview, however, Agathe Kanziga rejected accusations of involvement in the Genocide and denied responsibility for governance failures during that period.
The interview drew criticism from various observers who argued that it omitted key issues and contained contested claims.
IGIHE
