By Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa
Photos: Facebook\YouTube Screenshots
Today we honor and celebrate the life of Brigadier General Frank Kanyambo Rusagara—a soldier, scholar, patriot, diplomat, and truth-teller whose life and legacy transcend the prison walls that sought to silence him.
Born into exile in 1955, young Frank grew up in the harshness of refugee camps—where scarcity was plenty and suffering was familiar. But from those difficult beginnings rose a man of uncommon purpose. Educated, disciplined, and driven, he emerged not merely as a soldier in arms, but a soldier in intellect and conscience.
As a leading figure in the Rwandan Patriotic Front, Frank bore witness to genocide even as he fought to end it. He stood at the crossroads of history, not as a bystander, but as a builder of a new nation. He served with distinction: Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence, Commandant of the Rwanda Military Academy, President of the Military Court, and Defence Attaché to the United Kingdom. These were not just titles—they were responsibilities he bore with integrity.
But Frank was more than a military man. He was a thinker. A seeker. A fearless speaker of truth.
Socrates, in his final hours, chose to drink hemlock rather than recant his convictions. In his quiet strength, Frank followed a similar path. He chose to speak out—not because it was safe, but because it was right. Like the intellectuals Edward Said and Noam Chomsky described, Frank used his voice to challenge power and provoke reflection. He lived the responsibility of the intellectual not in theory, but in flesh and blood.
Frank understood the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:13-14. He chose the narrow gate, the hard path—the one that leads to life. His life was not about comfort, but about conscience. Not about applause, but about authenticity.
Though imprisoned for the last 11 years of his life under cruel, politically motivated charges, Frank never surrendered his dignity. Even after losing his beloved wife while in detention, his spirit remained intact. He found meaning in suffering—an echo of the Ubuntu philosophy Desmond Tutu lived and taught. “I am because we are.” Frank’s sense of self was rooted in community, in a vision of Rwanda that was healed, reconciled, and free.
Today, we extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to his children, his family, and all those who loved and stood by him. May you find comfort in the towering legacy he leaves behind—a legacy carved in principle, sacrifice, and love of country.
As we part with Frank in this life, we are reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:55: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” Yes, today we feel the sting of death—those of us who knew Frank, who laughed with him, fought beside him, debated with him, loved him. That sting is real.
But the grave is not victorious.
Frank Rusagara lives—he lives in eternity, and he lives in the continuing struggle to free Rwanda from fear, repression, and silence. He would not want us to mourn without action, to grieve without resolve. He would want us to press on, to speak, to serve, to stand—just as he did.
Frank did not claim to be a hero, yet he lived a heroic life. He did not seek martyrdom, yet his memory joins the sacred ranks of those who gave everything for freedom. His voice may have been silenced, but his truth still speaks. His body may rest, but his spirit marches on.
May we walk the narrow path he walked—with courage, with love, with truth. And may we meet him again, in a Rwanda reborn.
Rest in power, dear comrade. Rest in peace, Frank.
Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa
Washington DC
USA
March 31, 2025
E-mail: ngombwa@gmail.com
