Marcel Gatsinzi is a Rwandan soldier and politician, and Rwanda's current Minister of Defence.
An ethnic Hutu from Butare, Gatsinzi is a former member of the Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR), which was the national army prior to the conquest of Rwanda by the RPF following the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. At the time of the disbanding of FAR his rank was Colonel.
During the genocide, from April 7 to April 17, 1994 he served as Chief of Staff of FAR.[1]
Gatsinzi was appointed Minister of Defence on 15 November 2002, following the removal of Emmanuel Habyarimana. He currently holds the rank of General in the Rwandan Defence Forces.
On 17 July 2005, the defence counsel for Théoneste Bagosora at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) claimed that they had requested that Gatsinzi, along with Senator Augustine Iyamuremye, come to testify at Bagosora's trial. Gatsinzi denied ever having received such a summons to the ICTR, and argued the matter was "lawyer’s tricks to delay the case".[2]
| Preceded by Emmanuel Habyarimana |
Minister of Defence (Rwanda) November 15, 2002–present |
Incumbent |