Gikongoro province was founded by the newly independent Rwandan state shortly after it gained freedom from Belgium in 1962.

Human Rights Watch has described Gikongoro town and province at the time of the genocide as "largely incoherent."

Local political leader Emmanuel Gapyisi was assassinated in 1993 and minister and PSD head Frederic Nzamurambaho was killed at the start of the genocide.

[2] Once the genocide began, the Tutsi population of Gikongoro was wiped out quickly compared to other towns.

The city has been growing in recent years, with a number of modern buildings constructed.