The Bigogwe Genocide Memorial has undergone a significant renovation and expansion, with officials reporting the completion of works that cost over one billion Rwandan francs. According to Gerard Mbarushimana, Head of Ibuka in Rubavu District, the umbrella organisation for Genocide survivors, the original memorial site fell short of proper standards and lacked essential facilities, including a dedicated historical section. The former Bigogwe Genocide memorial was simply a grave for victims, he explained to The New Times. It did not meet the necessary criteria for a genocide memorial, unlike this newly reconstructed one. ALSO READ: Genocide survivors call for memorial garden at Rubavu's Commune Rouge He emphasised that the rebuilt site has been fully reconstructed and expanded, incorporating a historical section, thanks to a development made possible by Rubavu District. Mbarushimana further stated that documenting and recording the immense scale of the killings and the historical context of the atrocities that occurred in Bigogwe will be profoundly significant for genocide survivors in this area and the country as a whole, playing a vital role in preserving our history. He recounted that the killings in Bigogwe area, encompassing the former Mutura and Rwerere Communes, were largely perpetrated by commando soldiers from the Bigogwe military barracks, who even used the local Tutsi population for practicing their shooting and killing skills. The expanded genocide memorial at Bigogwe will serve as a permanent and dignified final resting place for 9,042 victims of the genocide, tragically killed in the areas that now constitute parts of Nyabihu and Rubavu Districts. These dark sites include Bigogwe itself, Jenda and Kabatwa within Nyabihu District, and Kanzenze, and Mudende, among other locations in Rubavu. Ibuka Rubavu assures that the remains of the genocide victims are scheduled to be returned to the newly expanded site on May 16, 2025, in advance of its official opening on April 18 following their temporary relocation to the Nyundo Genocide Memorial during the period of renovation and expansion. For Proper Mulindwa, the Mayor of Rubavu District, the Bigogwe Genocide Memorial is now complete, despite the ongoing efforts to enlarge the boundaries of its remembrance garden as per funds become available. Regarding the documentation of the historical tragedy at the Bigogwe Genocide Memorial, Mulindwa disclosed that we first initiated a broader project to organize and install historical markers at the Commune Rouge Genocide Memorial. Once that is finalized, we plan to proceed with a similar project at the Bigogwe Memorial.” All of these efforts, he added, adhere to the guidelines provided by the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE). ALSO READ: Genocide survivors want monument at Muhungwe hill According to the district, Bigogwe Memorial site now features an underground mass grave, a flame of hope, a firefighting system, CCTV surveillance, a history section, a reception area, a hall, offices, and a memorial garden.
