The palace of the former queen, Rosalie Gicanda, is going to be added to Rwanda’s historical museums.

Located in Huye, it was built in 1940  for white missionaries, but was turned into the queen’s palace when  Queen Gicanda was chased from her palace in Nyanza, a few years after the death of King Mutara III Rudahigwa.

Ambassador Robert Masozera, the Director General of Institute of National Museums of Rwanda told The New Times that the idea to revitalise the building came after it was realised that Gicanda was the only queen with physical evidence of her existence.

"We found out she was the only queen with physical signs of existence, so we want to maintain that history because it is our heritage, and make it known for future generations,” he emphasised.

Masozera went on to indicate that feasibility studies to turn the house into a museum have been concluded, and now they are moving to the step of mobilizing funds to start renovations for the building.

He did not indicate when the building would kick-start its exhibitions as a museum.

Who was Gicanda?

Gicanda was born in 1928 in the Eastern province in the current Rwamagana district.

She got married to the King at 14 years of age, and those who knew her or lived with her considered her as a modest, humble person.

It is said that she remained accessible to the population even after the abolition of the monarchy when Rwanda got its independence.

Gicanda was killed on April 20, 1994 only two weeks after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi had started