Rwanda’s public monuments: How art preserves history and identity

Whether you are moving through Kigali’s traffic or heading into the countryside, Rwanda’s sculptures and monuments are hard to miss. Some have become so familiar that residents give them nicknames, even when the stories behind them are less well known. Yet these public works do more than fill open space. They carry memory, mark history, honour sacrifice and help tell the country’s story in plain sight. ALSO READ: Major boost for creatives as new contemporary art space opens Sculpture is one of the oldest forms of artistic expression. Across history, communities have used stone, wood, clay and metal to record beliefs, celebrate achievement and preserve important moments. In Rwanda, that tradition lives on in city roundabouts, memorial sites, museums, pilgrimage destinations and heritage centers. Some monuments speak to the country’s defining historical chapters. Others draw from faith, oral tradition and cultural identity. ALSO READ: Inside Rwanda’s 20 newly classified cultural heritage sites The landmark dancers at Sonatubes Roundabout Greeting motorists at Sonatubes Roundabout are the iconic Intore dancer sculptures, one of Kigali's most photographed public artworks. Created by Pascal Bushayija, a Nyundo School of Art graduate, the installation sits along the main road leading to the future Bugesera International Airport. Bushayija said the piece was inspired by Rwanda’s culture of hospitality. The figures were meant to welcome visitors arriving through the new airport, reflecting a tradition in which dancing formed part of a joyful reception for honored guests. He said he was approached to develop the concept and artistic direction, then worked with sculptor Venuste Habimana to bring the idea to life. Built from reinforced concrete and finished to resemble aged metal, the sculptures have become one of Kigali’s signature public artworks and a symbolic gateway to the country. Sculpting the story of Rwanda's liberation Another major landmark stands at the Parliament of Rwanda, where a series of monuments surrounding the Campaign Against Genocide Museum tells the story of the military campaign that stopped the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. According to Medard Bashana, director of the Campaign Against Genocide Museum, the idea began in 2006 after President Paul Kagame visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial and asked why the campaign that ended the genocide had not been documented in the same way as the memorials to victims. Bashana said the project was later assigned to Horizon Group, which created three major monuments unveiled in 2014, three years before the museum officially opened. The monuments were designed to set the tone for the museum’s story. Bashana said visitors often begin to understand the themes of mourning, sacrifice, rescue and resilience before stepping inside. One monument shows a soldier operating a mounted 12.7mm machine gun, a reference to strategic military positions during the campaign. Another shows a soldier removing his cap and bowing his head in tribute to fallen comrades. Bashana said the figure is not meant as a cemetery scene, but as a gesture of honour for those who died. The largest monument brings several scenes together in one composition. It shows a commander carrying a child while directing operations, soldiers advancing on different fronts, civilians being rescued and a soldier kneeling in remembrance of those who could not be saved. Bashana said the image of the commander carrying a baby reflects the value placed on saving lives during the conflict, even in the middle of combat. He said the long gap between the first proposal and the unveiling reflected Rwanda’s reconstruction priorities after 1994. Schools, health care and support for survivors had to come first. Plans are now under way to expand the Liberation Heritage Trail with additional monuments and museums in places such as Kagitumba, Murindi, Gicumbi and Musanze. The giant hand against corruption Near the Kigali Convention Centre, another sculpture has become a familiar part of the city’s skyline. The giant steel hand was unveiled in 2019 when Rwanda hosted the International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award. Created by Iraqi sculptor Ahmed Albahrani, the work stands for transparency, accountability and international cooperation in the fight against corruption. Its linked steel elements suggest nations working together against a problem that crosses borders. Monuments of faith and pilgrimage Not all of Rwanda’s monuments are urban landmarks. Some are tied to religious heritage, including the Divine Mercy Statue overlooking Nyarushishi Hill in Kibeho. The bronze statue stands 16 feet tall and weighs about two tonnes. Commissioned in the United States and later donated to Rwanda, it was installed in 2004 near the Shrine of Our Lady of Kibeho. Over time, it has become a landmark for pilgrims visiting one of Africa’s best-known Catholic pilgrimage sites. Monuments shaped by oral tradition One of them is Ikirenge cya Ruganzu in Rulindo District, a heritage site linked to King Ruganzu II Ndoli. According to local oral history, the footprint preserved there is believed to have been left by the monarch during his campaign to reclaim and reunify Rwanda in the 16th century. The site is now part of the Ikirenga Cultural Centre, which was created to preserve local history and promote cultural education. Visitors can find traditional architecture, cultural performances and artifacts that offer a window into Rwanda’s precolonial past.

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Rwanda’s public monuments: How art preserves history and identity