Simon Bikindi (born 28 September 1954, Rwerere, Ruanda-Urundi — died 15 December 2018, Cotonou, Benin) was a Rwandan composer, songwriter, vocalist, and choreographer whose legacy remains deeply controversial. In 2008, he was tried and convicted for "crimes against humanity" by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). His trial, which lasted two years, drew significant attention due to the focus on his ultra-nationalist songs that were alleged to have incited mass killings of Tutsis during the 1994 genocide. Bikindi passed away in the hospital while serving a 15-year prison sentence. Following his death, a posthumous CD-R compilation of his work was released by World Historical Recordings in Canada. The album cover features an image of Bikindi campaigning for the ill-fated second Rwandan president, Juvénal Habyarimana, in the early 1990s.
An ethnic Hutu, Bikindi spent his formative years in the small village of Akanyirabagoyi in the northwestern Gisenyi prefecture. He demonstrated early talent as a child prodigy, mastering East African folk dances and traditional instruments such as the "inanga" zither and the "iningiri," a one-string violin. In 1976, he joined the ruling party, the MRND (Mouvement révolutionnaire national pour le développement, or "National Revolutionary Movement for Development"), where he became a lead choreographer for the Ministry of Youth and Sports. At just 22, Bikindi organized large-scale "song-and-dance" rallies for international visitors. Throughout the 1980s, he garnered national recognition for his innovative crossover style, which combined traditional folk instrumentation with contemporary rhythms and rap-style lyrics in a mix of English, French, and Kinyarwanda. He also founded and directed a music and dance ensemble known as Itorero Irindiro ("Irindiro Ballet"), which performed at weddings and private events.
When the horrific 100-day genocide began in April 1994, Bikindi was abroad, arranging a European tour for his troupe. During the genocide, his songs were frequently broadcast by RTLM (Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines, or "Free Radio & Television of the Thousand Hills"), which became infamous for promoting violence against Tutsis. Eyewitness accounts indicated that Hutu attackers often sang Bikindi's songs as they committed acts of murder. In June 1994, he briefly returned to Rwanda but quickly fled as the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) took control.
Bikindi was arrested in the Netherlands in July 2001 on multiple charges, including "conspiracy/public incitement to commit genocide," "complicity in genocide," and "murder." His trial commenced in May 2006 in Tanzania, where prosecutors sought a life sentence, asserting that Bikindi had "composed, sang, recorded & distributed musical works extolling Hutu solidarity and accusing Tutsis of enslaving Hutus." This focus on his artistic contributions was unprecedented, as previous tribunals had not targeted musicians and lyricists. Notably, many prominent artists associated with regimes in past conflicts had not faced similar scrutiny.
The court's attention was drawn particularly to Bikindi's 10-minute song Nanga Abahutu ("I Hate These Hutus"), which, while not explicitly mentioning Tutsis, condemned Hutus who accepted the "enemy." Defense experts argued that the lyrics were too ambiguous to demonstrate intent and raised concerns about artistic freedom. Testimonies from former dancers characterized Bikindi as an opportunist who had conformed to his government's ideology. Nevertheless, the prosecution was able to establish that, during the genocide, he had patrolled with the Interahamwe, a paramilitary group associated with the MRND, using a megaphone to incite Hutus to continue the violence against Tutsis. In December 2008, he received a 15-year sentence for "incitement to commit genocide," with credit for seven years served; all other charges were dismissed. After serving most of his sentence at Akpro-Missérété Prison in Porto-Novo, Bikindi died at the age of 64 due to complications from diabetes.
