Thousands attend funeral of Rwanda's last King Kigeli V

Relatives and friends attend the funeral service of late King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa on January 15, 2017 at the King's palace in Nyanza. King Kigeli died in October, aged 80, in the United States. He had been living in exile in the suburbs of Washington since 1992. AFP PHOTO

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  • An elderly princess Speciose Mukabayojo, who grew up with the former King recalled their childhood love and appreciated the decent send off.

King Kigeli V was buried at the top of the mountain of Mwima next to the tomb of his late brother Mutara Rudahigwa. The king died on October 16, 2016 in the United States of America, however, there ensued a battle over where he should be buried.
The funeral ceremony attended by droves of mourners started with a requiem mass led by Bishop Phillipe Rukamba of Butare Diocese held in the courtyard of national museum, former royal palace. Julienne Uwacu, Rwanda's minister of Culture and sports said the government condoled with the family upon the passing of the former king: “We express our sincere condolences to the family and we wish to promise our support,” she said.

A priest gestures by the coffin of late King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa as relatives and friends attend the funeral service on January 15, 2017 at the King's palace in Nyanza as they sit next to the coffin. King Kigeli died in October, aged 80, in the United States. He had been living in exile in the suburbs of Washington since 1992. AFP PHOTO

Monarchies from the east African region of Buganda, Toro, Ankole in Uganda and Burundi eulogised late King Kigeli as peace loving person. A message from Ankole Kingdom in Uganda commended Rwandan President Paul Kagame for allowing repatriation of the remains of the late King for burial in Rwanda. "We enjoyed a good relationship with him (King Kigeli); May God almighty grant his soul everlasting peace," a statement said. Pastor Ezra Mpyisi, a former close aid and adviser to the late King, commended relatives who fought a legal battle in the United States for the repatriation of the former King's body. "He died with dignity, his name will go down in history as the most loving person, intelligent brilliant and a peacemaker. He had never acquired any other citizenship which demonstrates his patriotism," he said.

A family member carries a portrait of Rwanda's last King, late King Kigeli V Ndahindurwa, while others carry the coffin of the King to the King's Palace in Nyanza where the funeral services took place on this January 15, 2017.

An elderly princess Speciose Mukabayojo, who grew up with the former King recalled their childhood love and appreciated the decent send off.

"I am glad we are sending him off where he was crowned as the king and next to old brother Late King Mutara Rudahigwa," she said. She commended the Rwandan government for its support toward repatriation of the body of the former king.