Juvénal Habyarimana was a politician who served as the third President of the Republic of Rwanda from 1973 to 1994. Domineering, shrewd, intelligent, and ambitious, he ruled Rwanda—an often turbulent country in Africa—almost single-handedly for over 20 years after seizing power in a 1973 coup. A dictator to the core, he maintained his position with an iron grip until his assassination in 1994.

During his rule, Rwandan citizens were forced to chant his name and participate in public displays of adulation. He exercised extensive control over the nation's political activities, having established the National Revolutionary Movement for Development (MRND), with himself as the sole leader of the single-party state.

Born into an aristocratic Hutu family, Habyarimana initially pursued medical studies before enrolling in a military school. Aggressive and hardworking, he quickly rose through the military ranks, becoming a successful and influential officer. His army career ignited in him an insatiable love for power, prompting his foray into politics.

Habyarimana eventually became head of the National Guard and the country's police force. In 1973, he led a bloodless military coup, taking control of Rwanda. However, over time, his authoritarian rule frustrated many citizens, and his regime came to a dramatic end with his assassination in 1994.