Protais Mitali, a former Rwandan minister and diplomat, passed away on Friday, 1 August 2025, in Belgium, aged 62, after a long battle with cancer. His family has confirmed the news and announced that the funeral will take place on Thursday, 7 August at 2:30 PM in Overijse, just south of Brussels.
Born in 1963 in the former Gitarama Prefecture, Mitali held several high-ranking positions in Rwanda. Before entering politics, he served in the army and later became a Member of Parliament. He went on to serve as Minister of Youth, Minister of Culture and Sports, and later as Minister of Trade, Industry, Investment, Tourism and Cooperatives. He also served as Rwanda’s Ambassador to Ethiopia until 2015.
That same year marked the abrupt end of his diplomatic career. After being dismissed from his position, Mitali left Rwanda and settled in Belgium. In April 2015, he was accused by his party, the Liberal Party (PL), of embezzling more than 50 million Rwandan francs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded he settle the financial dispute, but he did not comply. Soon after, Interpol issued a red notice against him for misappropriation of public funds and abuse of office. He became a wanted fugitive but was never arrested.
He remained out of the public eye for years until he reappeared in March 2019 at an event held by Ibuka Mémoire & Justice Belgique at the Belgian Federal Parliament. His return drew attention, especially amid reports that his relationship with the Rwandan government had improved. Some sources even claimed that he had asked President Paul Kagame for forgiveness, though this was never officially confirmed.
One of the most controversial episodes in his career was his treatment of the late artist Kizito Mihigo. In 2014, while serving as Minister of Culture, Mitali was accused of publicly targeting Mihigo, a genocide survivor, for promoting a message of national unity and inclusive remembrance. After Mihigo’s suspicious death in 2020, writings he left behind reportedly named Mitali among those who persecuted him for speaking out.
Politically, Mitali is said to have opposed the 2015 constitutional changes that allowed President Kagame to seek further terms in office. He also reportedly disagreed with the Liberal Party’s close alignment with the ruling RPF and advocated for greater inclusion of Tutsis who lived in Rwanda before 1994 in national leadership. These positions are believed to have contributed to his political isolation.
Since his arrival in Belgium, Mitali had lived quietly. His death marks the end of a complex public life—one that included high office, serious allegations, and years in exile. He leaves behind a grieving family and a legacy that remains divisive in the eyes of many Rwandans.
Therwandan
