April 7, 1994, marked the beginning of a dark chapter in Rwandan history as the country descended into the horrors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, a tragedy that claimed over a million lives in just 100 days. A day earlier, President Juvenal Habyarimana had perished in a plane crash orchestrated by extremist members of the Akazu faction upon his return from peace talks in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. ALSO READ: Kwibuka: General Dallaire lauds Rwanda’s level of forgiveness, grace That night, radio stations in Rwanda led by RTLM broadcast a press release signed by Colonel Theoneste Bagosora, announcing Habyarimana's death and urging the population to remain at home, in order to organise the massacre of Tutsi without them being able to flee. Immediately, in Kigali, particularly in the areas of Kacyiru and Kimihurura, the Interahamwe militia set up roadblocks and commenced the slaughter of Tutsi. Simultaneously, massacres of Tutsi unfolded nationwide, orchestrated by the “bourgmestres.” When the sun dawned on April 7, things got even worse. Not only ordinary people were being killed but high profile politicians opposed to the genocide plot, were targeted and murdered. First of such politicians was the Prime Minister, Agathe Uwilingiyimana. Among other politicians who were killed on that day is Kavaruganda Joseph, President of the Constitutional Court, Fréderic Nzamurambaho, President of the PSD party, Félicien Ngango, Vice-President of the PSD, and his wife Odette Ubonabenshi, as well as Faustin Rucogoza, the Minister of information and member of the MDR. ALSO READ: UNAMIR: A mission betrayed by political indifference Radio Muhabura of the RPF Inkotanyi was the first to denounce the massacres of Tutsi and Hutu politicians opposed to the Genocide. The commander-in-chief of the RPF Inkotanyi troops declared that the RPF had the prominent duty to protect the innocent members of the population who were being killed, and he gave his instructions to stop the Genocide. Tutsi massacres were recorded in Nyamata, in Bugesera, Sake, in Kibungo Prefecture, as well as in Kamonyi, and Gitarama Prefecture. The Tutsi who resided in those areas were killed in the localities of Biharabuge, near the Nyabarongo river, in Ruramba, in Isenga, on the bridge from Nyabarongo, in Gasharara, in Idongo, at the petrol station of Runda, at the roadblock of Bishenyi, while others were thrown into Cyabariza river. In Muko Commune, in the former Gikongoro Prefecture (currently in Nyamagabe District), nearly 100 killers, led by the chief of the communal police and mayor Kayihura Albert, killed seven Tutsi who had taken refuge in the parish of Mushubi. Among the victims was Michel Gacendeli, the accountant of the commune, and his family. ALSO READ: Canadian General relives Rwanda experience in new book In Gisenyi town (current Rubavu), Colonel Anatole Nsengiyumva, who commanded the Gisenyi military camp, organised a meeting attended by Interahamwe, government soldiers and policemen, to install barriers everywhere in the town and start killing Tutsis. Killings got severe in the town. Many Tutsis were killed in their homes, and vehicles transported their bodies to throw them in graves dug in the cemetery of Gisenyi, an area dubbed Commune Rouge. At Nyundo, the massacres had also begun and continued for the next few days. Among those killed included hundreds of Tutsi, including many women and children, who had taken refuge at the Catholic Parish of Nyundo. The massacre was planned and coordinated by Colonel Anatole Nsengiyumva. On the same day, in Kabasheja, currently in the Rugerero sector, in Gisenyi, Tutsi who had been brought from the Rubavu Commune by Interahamwe were killed while others were murdered from Center St Pierre. Massacres also took place in the Mutura and Rwerere regions, in Mudende and in the Bigogwe region, where the Tutsi were killed by soldiers from the Bigogwe military camp commanded by Lt Colonel Alphonse Nzungize. According to records, on April 7, 1994, in the same area, a meeting was chaired by Joseph Nzirorera, the Secretary General of MRND, regarding the killing of the Tutsis. Officials including Emmanuel Harerimana, the Bourgmestre of Mukingo Commune, Colonel Augustin Bizimungu, and so on participated in it. In it, it was decided that weapons should be distributed to the population, and barriers installed in various places. Colonel Bizimungu was appointed to implement the decisions taken. After the meeting, he distributed weapons to the population and to the leaders of the Interahamwe, including bourgmestre Juvénal Kajerijeri and Baheza Esdras, a business man of Byangabo. All the Tutsi who had taken refuge at the Higher Institute of Agriculture and Livestock ISAE Busogo were killed while police and Interahamwe killed some 43 others who had taken refuge in the catholic parish of Busogo. On that day, the Interahamwe believed that all the Tutsi in the region of Busogo had been killed, so they went to kill in other regions of Ruhengeri Prefecture, as other areas of the country were also unraveling.
