Hundreds of Rwandans living in Kenya observed the 24th commemoration of the genocide Against the Tutsi with a peaceful procession in Nairobi yesterday. The procession started from Uhuru Park to the Central Business District with Rwandans carrying banners and placards with messages that paid tribute to the victims of the Genocide, showing support to survivors and fighting genocide denial. The event attracted mainly the youth and they walked quietly as they shared stories related to the tragic events that befell their country where over a million people were massacred in less than a hundred days. Speaking at the end of the procession, Rwanda High Commissioner to Kenya, Ambassador James Kimonyo thanked members of the community for turning out in numbers. “Thank you all for making time to participate in this important event as we remember over a million of our people whose lives were brought to an abrupt end during 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi. We organize Walk to Remember procession so as to pay tribute to victims of the Genocide but also say Never Again to the acts of the Genocide in Rwanda and anywhere else in the world”. “I take this opportunity to remind you that our main Commemoration event will be held at UN offices in Gigiri on Tuesday 10th April where we will be joined by officials from Kenya government and a representative of United Nations Secretary General. I am happy to announce that the U.N in January finally recognized this genocide in the manner that it was and now we will join them this Tuesday in the commemoration activities in Gigiri,” he said. Ambassador Kimonyo told the solemn crown at Uhuru Park that the aim of the commemoration is to sensitize and educate the younger generation so that such a thing does not happen ever gain. During the commemoration on Tuesday, there will be a panel discussions involving both Rwandan and Kenyan students. The discussions will not only reflect on what happened but geared towards help deal with its symptoms and work together in avoiding such occurrence in the future. There will also be a testimony of a widow who lost six children, a husband and two brothers in the genocide that targeted Tutsis which claimed over 1 million people in the worst humanitarian annihilation since the holocaust.
