Emmanuel Bushayija


Emmanuel Bushayija is the titular King of Rwanda. He was proclaimed the ceremonial successor to the royal title on 9 January 2017 under the reign name Yuhi VI. He succeeded his late uncle King Kigeli V of Rwanda and is a grandson of Yuhi V. In 1961, Rwanda abolished its monarchy and became a republic, so he is effectively a pretender.

Biography

He grew up in exile in Uganda, where he studied at Iganga Secondary School and worked for Pepsi Cola in Kampala.
He also lived in Kenya, working in the tourism industry, before returning to Rwanda in July 1994 – and then moving to the United Kingdom six years later.
The accession of Yuhi VI was made by proclamation of the Royal Council of Abiru, who are a group of elders and privy to the king's wishes as advisors. According to custom, the Council of Abiru selects the king's successor from among his family members. Bushayija, his nephew, was named as his successor. The announcement was made by Boniface Benzinge, chairman of the Abiru council.
He is a naturalised British citizen and lives currently in Sale, near Manchester in northwest England.
His wife, Lilian, is a local mental health support worker.

Title and style of address

Rwandan Dynastic

Ancestry