Daughter of journalist slain during Genocide recalls his last days

Diane Uwadede Isimbi is the daughter of Vincent Shabakaka a journalist who established Kiberinka newspaper before he was killed during the Genocide against the Tutsi.Isimbi, who attended the 32nd commemoration of slain journalists on Friday, April 10, highlighted the life and sacrifice of Shabakaka, one of at least 50 journalists slain during the Genocide.She underscored the role of some journalists in confronting discrimination and violence at a time the media openly sided with the genocidal regime.Isimbi recalled that her father was among a small group of journalists who used their profession to challenge discrimination and inform the public during the liberation struggle between 1990 and 1994.“He contributed to the fight against discrimination using journalism. But it was not easy for him,” she said.According to Isimbi, her father’s work often forced him into hiding for days, leaving his family uncertain of his safety.“I remember him one day taking a small mattress, a green mat, and a bag, a cap and coat, then leaving in the evening.“He would return after a week. Imagine a man coming back to his home clandestinely,” she said.ALSO READ: Kwibuka31: Journalists urged to ‘use conscience’ when dealing with Rwanda’s historyHis reporting, which included photographs and stories explaining the liberation struggle, drew the attention of government forces. On one occasion, after publishing a photograph of a soldier in a wheelchair, their home was raided.“They destroyed the ceiling and tore all papers, including our school notebooks, while asking my mother to reveal his whereabouts,” she recounted.Fearing for their safety, the family was forced to relocate multiple times, living under constant intimidation from neighbours affiliated with extremist groups.Despite the risks, Shabakaka continued his work.He was among the first journalists to visit RPA Inkotanyi positions at Mulindi and report on the liberation war.“He also covered the Arusha peace negotiations, bringing back stories, photographs, and materials to inform the public,” she said.Isimbi recalls that his father produced documentaries such as Aho umwaga utari and Agahugu mu kandi, using media as a platform to educate and advocate for unity.ALSO READ: Rwandan journalists 'said no to hate media' after Genocide“He was using journalism as part of the struggle,” Isimbi said.A tragic endOn April 6, 1994, Shabakaka sent his children to visit their grandmother in Rwamagana—a decision that would ultimately save their lives. The same day, the plane carrying President Juvénal Habyarimana was shot down, and killers started hunting down the Tutsi.Shabakaka was killed three days later, on April 9, in Nyamirambo.“He was shot in a home. We survived because we were not in Kigali,” she said.Isimbi's father was later buried in Rwamagana in 1995 where the family was living.Today, Isimbi says she has rebuilt her life. “I survived. I studied. I am now a lawyer with a master’s degree in business law. I work in a bank, and I am married,” she said.Call for ethical journalismSpeaking at the commemoration, Cleophas Barore, Director General of the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency, said journalists like Shabakaka were targeted both for their identity and their work.“They were killed because they were Tutsi and because they produced reports that exposed ethnic discrimination,” he said.Barore stressed that ethical journalism must remain a cornerstone of the profession.ALSO READ: Kwibuka31: Journalists urged to uphold professionalism during commemoration periodDan Ngabonziza, chairperson of the Rwanda Journalists Association, urged journalists to uphold responsibility in their reporting.“The tragic history of our country showed that a pen and a word can build or destroy,” he said. “Today, journalists must avoid being channels of hate speech and instead promote unity.”Philbert Gakwenzire, president of the Genocide survivors’ organisation Ibuka, stressed the importance of remembrance and unity during the commemoration period.“The journey of 100 days is a way to console those bereaved by the Genocide,” he said.Gakwenzire urged all Rwandans to actively reject genocide ideology and the trivialisation or denial of the Genocide against the Tutsi, stressing that this is essential to ensuring such atrocities never happen again.“During this period, we analyse the effects of the Genocide and the measures to cope with them,” he said.He noted that Kwibuka plays a crucial role in strengthening national unity by bringing together all Rwandans—survivors, perpetrators, those who were not directly targeted, and younger generations.“Kwibuka is a foundation of Rwandans’ unity,” he said.He further called for continued efforts to bring genocide fugitives and deniers to justice.Jean-Damascène Bizimana, the Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, reflected on the historical role of media in Rwanda, particularly its contribution to division and violence before the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.He explained that journalism in Rwanda was deeply polarised prior to the Genocide, with different media outlets serving political agendas.According to Bizimana, media could be categorised into public media institutions, government-supported independent media, opposition media, and media that initially promoted peace but later shifted to divisive narratives, especially when addressing issues related to the Tutsi and the RPA-Inkotanyi. Bizimana also talked about individuals who were convicted for their role in using media to incite genocide, including Hassan Ngeze, Ferdinand Nahimana and Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza.Nahimana and Ngeze were found guilty by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and sentenced to life imprisonment for their role in inciting the killings. Barayagwiza was sentenced to 35 years, later reduced.He stressed that these cases demonstrate how dangerous media can become when it abandons truth and ethics.The minister also commended Genocide survivors who share their testimonies, noting that their voices help preserve memory and prevent denial.“Their testimonies give a clear picture of what happened in 1994 and help ensure it never happens again,” he added.He acknowledged the significant progress made in Rwanda’s media sector today, commending journalists and media institutions for aligning their work with national values of unity and reconciliation.

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Daughter of journalist slain during Genocide recalls his last days