Rév. past. Nsanzurwimo Joseph here preaching in his Brussels church
In the quiet rural region of Gihundwe, in Rusizi District, western Rwanda, memories of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi remain painfully vivid.
Survivors remember not only the horrors they endured but also the betrayal by people they once revered—teachers, community leaders, and even church pastors.
Among the most shocking of these betrayals is that of Rév. Pastor Joseph Nsanzurwimo, a former head of the Pentecostal Church of Rwanda (ADEPR), who now lives in exile in Belgium. Survivors accuse him of complicity in the massacres that occurred at GS Gihundwe School, where hundreds of Tutsis had sought refuge.
The Massacre at GS Gihundwe
On May 3, 1994, the school grounds—once a place of learning and sanctuary—became the site of a massacre.
Survivors say that both Pastor Nsanzurwimo and the then-school director, Remesha Siméon, turned their backs on the desperate Tutsi civilians who had come to them seeking safety.
Testimonies from commemoration events and Gacaca court proceedings claim the two men not only refused to protect the civilians but actively facilitated their exposure to the interahamwe civilian militias.
Gaspard Kayijuka, a former security guard at the school and a survivor, recalled how he defied orders not to let Tutsis enter the premises.
“They came in great numbers, terrified. I knew they would be killed if they stayed outside,” he said.
He was soon replaced by another watchman—allegedly an Interahamwe militia member—who said the Tutsis had entered by mistake and would be “dealt with.”
That evening, soldiers arrived. Survivors were herded into a firewood storage room and kitchen. Then came the grenades and bullets. Very few lived.
Could the Pastor Have Intervened?
At the center of the survivors’ pain is Pastor Nsanzurwimo. At the time, he had refused to return to his rural home in Muhehwe, instead residing at the school with his family under the protection of two gendarmes.
Survivors argue that he could have intervened. “If he had stood with us—refused entry to the killers, protected us with the gendarmes—those soldiers wouldn’t have dared to massacre us,” Kayijuka stated.
Another survivor, Job Rwabukambira, reminded the public that during Gacaca trials, it was promised that Nsanzurwimo and Remesha would face justice through other legal mechanisms. They were indeed convicted in absentia.
Yet, decades later, they remain free, reportedly living in Belgium. Nsanzurwimo’s son, Jean Pierre, then 19, was convicted in absentia for his role in the killings and is also believed to be in Belgium.
Witnesses say he actively participated in the massacres—sometimes in his father’s presence.
A Call for Justice
The local chapter of the national genocide survivors’ organization IBUKA, is adamant: justice must be served. Félix Niyonsaba, the a commissioner in Ibuka Rusizi, was just six years old when he was put on a bus and taken to Rusizi Stadium, where more massacres occurred.
“We need the justice system to act,” he said. “Even if our grief can never truly disappear, at least it can be eased when perpetrators are held accountable.”
This is the book that Rév. past. Nsanzurwimo Joseph published from exile
Authorities are beginning to respond. Rusizi District Mayor Phanuel Sindayiheba has announced that reconciliation dialogues will be held between the ADEPR Gihundwe congregation, survivors, and other community members.
“We must uncover the truth—what role did religious leaders and believers play? Why did they abandon those they were supposed to protect?” he asked.
The district also plans to meet with faith-based and civil society organizations to explore long-term strategies for eradicating genocide ideology.
Still Preaching in Exile
After fleeing to Belgium, Pastor Nsanzurwimo founded a church called Communauté Evangélique Philadelphie asbl, which has attracted a large following in the French-speaking parts of Belgium.
In Brussels alone, more than 500 people—mainly Burundians and Rwandans—gather every Sunday. As of 2025, reports indicate that he continues to preach in this church, despite his advanced age.
Though never tried in Rwanda, Nsanzurwimo’s presence lingers in other ways. In 2009, while in exile, he published a book titled “Histoire de l’Eglise de Pentecote au Rwanda” (History of the Pentecostal Church in Rwanda).
Despite his conviction by the Gacaca community courts, the book is available at the ADEPR library in Kicukiro and is still referenced in some church materials. To survivors and advocates of justice, this is yet another insult.
“It’s a disgrace,” said one former church member. “How can someone responsible for so much suffering still have a voice in our institutions?”
Reverend Aimable Nsabayesu, current head of the ADEPR parish in Gihundwe, praised survivors’ strength and forgiveness.
“They endured unimaginable horror. Their choice to rebuild and forgive is a testament to their faith,” he said.
But he also condemned church leaders and members who participated in the genocide, calling on today’s believers to develop “a heart that rejects evil.”
The story of Pastor Nsanzurwimo remains a painful symbol of betrayal during one of Rwanda’s darkest chapters. For those who survived the massacre at GS Gihundwe, his continued freedom is a bitter reminder that justice delayed is, indeed, justice denied.
