Artistes taking part in the Primus GumaGuma music competition (PGGSS 5) visited the Murambi Memorial Site on Wednesday as part of activities to mark the Genocide commemoration. 

The artistes donated Rwf 500,000 toward activities of the memorial site located in Gatsibo District. The memorial site was constructed around a pit in which remains of over 3,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi are buried. The 70 meter deep manhole was constructed in 1970 by Italian priests to provide water but was later used as a dumping site for bodies of innocent people killed during the Genocide

"The man hole is so deep, so the bodies couldn’t be taken out. We decided to construct a glass house around it and used this whole area as a memorial site,” Epiphanie Kavutse, the Kiziguro Sector Executive Secretary explained. She also thanked Bralirwa for the visit and the support.

Jean Pierre Uwizeye, Bralirwa’s Communications Manager, said Bralirwa is using this month to get the artistes in touch with the reality of what happened in the country 21 years ago.

"Kiziguro has a unique story, that’s why we decided to bring the artistes here so that after witnessing what happened, they can use their talent to send positive messages on why it’s important for us to always remember what happened and to promise that it will never happen again,” he said.

Sirino Karinganire, a survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, gave a brief testimony about the area, narrating how Jean Bosco Gatete, a perpetrator, earmarked Tutsi’s that were supposed to be killed. He urged the contestants to always help in fighting genocide ideology.

PGGSS 5 contestant Senderi International Hit who hails from the area, showed fellow contestants the manhole where his relatives were dumped. He also sang his commemoration song Murambi Warangiritse.

Speaking on behalf of the artistes, Dream Boys’ Platini said they learnt a lot from visiting the memorial site. He also said that they will see to it that the Rwandan society stays peaceful by fighting genocide ideology.

The donation and visits are under the PGGSS5 Corporate Social Responsibility campaign in April. The roadshows resume next month.

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