Alternative History
Rwando-Rundian Empire
Timeline: Africa Rising

OTL equivalent: Rwanda, Burundi, southern and central Uganda, northwestern Tanzania, (possibly) extreme northern Malawi
Capital Kigali and Bujumbura
Largest city Kampala
Language
  official
 
Kinyrarwanda, Kirundi
  others English (linua franca), languages of subnational kingdoms
King Rwanda: Yuhi VI
Burundi: Rosa Paula Iribagiza
Prime Minister Paul Kagame
Independence 1 January, 1880
Currency Rwando-Rundian dollar

Rwanda-Rundi, officially the Rwando-Rundian Empire, is a landlocked country located in East Africa and the Great Rift Valley. It is bordered to the west by the Congo, to the north by Sudan, and to the east and south by Tanganyika and Kenya. Its geography is generally highly elevated, its climate temperate or subtropical. The nation is a dual monarchy between the Kingdoms of Rwanda and Burundi, with two capitals- Kigali, with about 1.7 million people, and Bujumbura, with about 1 million people. Its largest city, however, is Kampala, at 8 million people- the city is within the subnational Buganda Kingdom,

The Kingdoms of Rwanda and Burundi were descended from Bantu peoples that settled in the region, primarily Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa. These groups coalesced into the Kingdoms, with Rwanda forming in the 15th century, and Burundi forming in the 17th century. The two kingdoms unified in 1880 and began to expand- Rwanda peacefully annexed the neighboring Kingdoms of Karagwe and Buganda in 1881, while forcibly annexing the Ankole and Bunyoro Kingdoms in 1882, while Burundi expanded to the southeast and defeated Mwanga in 1883. The conquests established Rwanda-Rundi as a regional superpower.

As Germany took over parts of East Africa, the contact between Rwanda-Rundi and Germany turned into a strong and pleasant relationship, and Germany, rather than conquering the empire, played an important role in modernizing it. This relationship came to a halt in the period preceding the First World War, as, in response to Rwando-Rundian vocal support for the Entente, Germany began supplying Republican rebels in the Rwando-Rundian Civil War. In response to this, the government allowed Belgian and British troops to use its territory for the invasion of German East Africa. Rwanda-Rundi did not participate in the Second World War until the very end, when it sent a troop contingent to help suppress Italian guerillas in Ethiopia and Aussa. It remained non-aligned in the Cold War, and mediated peace agreements in many Cold War-era African conflicts.

Rwanda-Rundi is a federal dual constitutional monarchy, and a highly multinational state. Jurisdiction outside of mainland Rwanda and Burundi is split within native subnational Kingdoms, where the Kings serve as representatives to the federal government. Free elections occur every 4 years, with the next one occurring in 2024- it operates under a parliament with multiple political parties and coalitions, the most dominant being the United Front, ruling since 1980. Although generally peaceful, it has experienced bouts of ethnic violence in relation to continued Hutu-Tutsi conflict. Human rights are deemed to be generally above-average for Africa, with corruption being low.