The catholic print media and its role in political and social life of Rwanda (1931-1961)
Roman Catholic missionaries arrived in Rwanda in 1900. ln collaboration with the colonial power, they began with economic, social., political and cultural transformations. The role of the Church was evangelization : it was also in charge of the education of the Rwandan society. As the years progressed, the Rwandans were introduced to the culture of writing at the expense of oral practices. Soon the need of wanting to maintain those new baptized people to the Christian faith and especially to extend the training of catechumen which were not efficiently formed, they decided to set up a PRINT MEDIA based in a series of papers published either in the vernacular or in French language. ln addition to the religious teachings, the articles addressed the social and political problems. For example with the first newspaper to be implemented, " Kinyamateka", the authorities the colonial as indigenous used it to send their instructions to the population. After several years the editorial line has been modified and became more concerned with social and political problems of the country without neglecting aspects of the Christian life. This catholic press has contributed greatly to the awareness of readers deal with political currents triggered the eve of independence. For thirty years (1931-1961) it was able to play its role to educate, inform and guide the opinion of its readers.