The task force formed by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in June 1994 served as the critical institutional blueprint for resurrecting Rwanda from a near-failed state. Operating as an emergency think tank amid ongoing conflict, this team established the structural foundation for the country's post-genocide transition.

The principle of the formation of a national army was adopted. However, only the former Rwandan armed forces who had not participated in genocide and other crimes were to be integrated into the new armed forces. There would be the introduction of soldiers into the transitional parliament. Independent people who did not represent any political party were to be accepted in government too.

Apart from the RPF, integrating other political representatives into the institutions of the transitional national assembly was not automatic. It was necessary to ensure that the latter were not associated with the forces that committed genocide and that they did not conform to the fascist and sectarian ideologies that had destroyed the country.

A review of the powers of the head of state was to be done and reinforced; the post of vice president of the republic was created; it was to be occupied by the RPF; this post was to carry another ministerial portfolio.

In June 1994, the RPF organised a working team at its headquarters in Mulindi (Gicumbi District now). Its agenda was to brainstorm on the issue of managing the country after the genocide. This group also made contacts with genocide survivors who represented political parties that were invited to take part in the establishment of institutions for the transitional government.

On the request of the Prime Minister designate, an ad hoc committee that brought together various mandated political forces was invited to establish transitional institutions and to set up a government programme. This programme was significantly drawn from the ideas of the RPF. On July 19, 1994, the government programme was presented by the then Prime Minister designated by the Arusha peace accord, Faustin Twagiramungu.

The programme rested on the following points: restoration of peace and security; organisation of central and local administration, hence provinces, districts, sectors and cells; restoration and consolidation of national unity; settlement of refugees and returning their property; improvement of living conditions of the people and solving the social problems that resulted from war and genocide; revival of the country’s economy; redefinition of foreign policy; cand onsolidation of democracy.

The government line of action to be followed to achieve each of the eight points above was specified. This government programme reflected mainly the major political orientations of the RPF.

As far as political leaders were concerned, Joseph Kavaruganda, in his capacity as the government official who was charged with the code of political ethics, addressed a letter to the Prime Minister at the beginning of January 1994. It contained a list of politicians who fulfilled the requirements to participate in the Transitional National Assembly as well as the definitive official list of Members of Parliament (MPs) who would constitute the Transitional National Assembly.

At least 15 political parties would be represented according to the Constitutional Court president, hence: MRND, FPR, MDR, PSD, PL, PDC, MPBP, RTD, UDPR, PPJR/RAMA RWANDA, PECO, PDI, PADER, PSR and PARERWA.

In accordance with the Arusha Protocol on the power sharing arrangement, the letter of the Chairman of the Constitutional Court stated that each of these parties, that is to say MRND, FPR, MDR, PSD and PL were entitled to 11 MPs whereas PDC was entitled to 4 MPs and each of the other parties was supposed to have 1 MP. In the same letter, he stated: "the task of inviting these parliamentarians to the swearing-in ceremony was to be done by the state and its protocol department”.

CDR was not on the above official list. Those who accused the RPF of blocking institutions of the Transitional Government insisted that the RPF refused to include CDR among the political parties that met the conditions to participate in the Transitional National Assembly. It led to Kavaruganda’s death. He was assassinated on April 7, 1994, by members of the presidential guard under the direction of extremist military leaders like Theoneste Bagosora.

The writer is a historian.