Today in African History

In 1973, Major-General Juvénal Habyarimana launched a military coup in Rwanda, overthrowing the government and assuming power. Habyarimana declared himself the country's leader and initiated a campaign to legitimize the coup as a "bloodless" transition. 
As part of this strategy, he executed 55 individuals who were perceived as threats and then paid off their families to maintain the narrative of a peaceful transition of power.
Among those targeted was President Grégoire Kayibanda, who had held a firm grip on power since Rwanda's independence in 1962. Kayibanda had amended the constitution to declare himself President for Life, sparking discontent among various factions within the country. 
In the aftermath of the coup, Kayibanda and his wife were taken to an undisclosed location, where they were subjected to a slow and deliberate process of starvation, ultimately resulting in their deaths.
These events marked a significant turning point in Rwandan history, as Habyarimana's rise to power set the stage for subsequent political and social dynamics that would ultimately culminate in the tragic Rwandan genocide in 1994.