Froduald Karamira was born on August 14, 1947, in Mushubati, a commune within Gitarama Province, Rwanda. Though he was ethnically Tutsi by birth, he would later “convert” to a Hutu identity, a move that aligned him with the political and ethnic power structures of the time. This shift, rooted in Rwandan tradition that allowed identity change, gave him access to greater economic and political mobility.

Karamira’s life trajectory changed dramatically after this conversion. He became wealthy and influential, owning multiple properties in Kigali. His political career flourished as he rose to the position of Second Vice President of the Republican Democratic Movement (MDR) party. Within this party, Karamira became a prominent leader of its extremist “Hutu Power” faction.

Following the October 1993 assassination of Melchior Ndadaye, the first democratically elected Hutu president of Burundi, Karamira delivered a fiery public speech. In it, he coined the term "Hutu Power" and urged his fellow Hutus to "rise" and take “necessary measures” against the perceived internal enemy.

On April 6, 1994, the plane carrying Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana was shot down, sparking an explosion of mass violence across the country. Within 48 hours, Froduald Karamira became part of the Interim Government, formed by Hutu extremists determined to eliminate the Tutsi population.

As a political leader and propagandist, Karamira delivered daily hate-filled broadcasts on Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), urging Hutus to target their Tutsi neighbors. He was also accused of recruiting, training, and arming the Interahamwe militias, who became the primary perpetrators of the genocide. These militias used machetes, clubs, and firearms to systematically massacre men, women, and children across Rwanda.

Beyond his public role in inciting mass murder, Karamira was also accused of personally ordering and overseeing the killing of hundreds of people, including 13 members of his own family. Survivors and investigators later confirmed his deep involvement in orchestrating logistics for killings and manipulating local populations into participation.

After the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), led by Paul Kagame, defeated the interim government and ended the genocide in July 1994, Karamira disappeared from Rwanda. He was eventually located in Mumbai, India, in June 1996, where he was arrested by Indian authorities. During extradition via Ethiopia, Karamira escaped from custody at the Addis Ababa Airport but was recaptured days later. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) briefly attempted to take jurisdiction, but due to political pressure and Rwanda’s threat to withdraw cooperation, he was sent back to Kigali.

Karamira’s trial began on January 13, 1997, in Kigali. The charges against him included:

• Genocide
• Murder
• Conspiracy to commit genocide
• Incitement to genocide
• Failure to assist civilians in danger

On February 14, 1997, he was convicted on all counts and sentenced to death by firing squad. His appeal to the Kigali Appeals Court was rejected on September 12, 1997.

On April 24, 1998, Froduald Karamira was publicly executed at Nyamirambo Stadium in Kigali, alongside 21 other individuals convicted for their roles in the genocide.