More than 1,000 homes for vulnerable genocide survivors require urgent renovation in Ruhango district, a concern that was highlighted during a commemoration event for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi on April 21. Ruhango Mayor Valens Habarurema revealed that 1,046 houses in the district need repair or complete reconstruction. Some vulnerable genocide survivors' houses need rehabilitation, while others must be demolished and rebuilt. We need support to fast-track the renovation, he said during the commemoration. ALSO READ: Ruhango residents receive Kwibuka Flame The event, conducted both virtually and in-person, included local and national officials, such as Local Government Minister Jean-Claude Musabyimana, City of Kigali Mayor Samuel Dusengiyumva, Minister of Trade and Industry Jean-Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, Ambassador Vincent Karega, and the head of the Rwanda Elderly Advisory Forum, Tito Rutaremara. On the same day, 30 bodies were given a decent burial at the Ruhango Genocide Memorial, where over 63,000 genocide victims are interred. ALSO READ: Over 900 Genocide victims get decent burial in Ruhango District However, the ceremony also brought to light the issue of justice for genocide perpetrators still at large, such as Charles Kagabo, known as the butcher of Ntongwe. Kagabo, a former mayor of the former Ntongwe commune, is accused of leading militiamen in executing thousands of Tutsis during the genocide. He is believed to be in hiding, potentially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Evode Munyurangabo, president of the Amayaga Genocide Survivors Foundation (AGSF), emphasised the ongoing need for justice and continued support for survivors. Continuous efforts are needed to arrest Bourgmestre Kagabo Charles, he said. The commemoration highlighted broader challenges. Munyurangabo expressed concern about those withholding information on the whereabouts of genocide victims' bodies. ALSO READ: Remembering families wiped out in Genocide in Ruhango Minister Musabyimana stressed the importance of enforcing laws against genocide denial. Commemoration is a key tool in the fight against genocide ideology, he said. ALSO READ: Government tracks Genocide fugitives to enforce judgements The Ruhango District authorities plan to construct a museum to complement the genocide memorial and educate the public about the genocide's impact in the Amayaga region. The study for the project is already completed.
