Rwf3b earmarked for Genocide commemoration activities

Approximately Rwf3 billion will be spent on the activities to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Genocide against the Tutsi. According to the 2018/19 revised national budget proposal, the funds will be drawn from the recurrent non-wage budget. The budget will mostly go into renovating memorial sites, hosting talk shows domestically and abroad, among others. The Media Officer for the National Commission for the Fight against the Genocide (CNLG), Thèogene Nsengimana, told The New Times that preparations were in high gear, focusing mostly on procurement and organising two important conferences. “The preparations are going well. Currently, what is happening is the procurement of all the necessary material and the preparation of the International Conference on Genocide scheduled for April 4-5, among others,” he said. According to the Ibuka Executive Secretary, Naphtali Ahishakiye, his organisation, just like all the other civil society organisations depend on support from government and non-governmental organisations. Ibuka is the umbrella of Genocide survivor organisations. He points out that an estimated Rwf150 million could be sufficient in what he says are the ‘basics’ during preparations of this nature. Ahishakiye said that efforts to make this landmark commemoration a success were already underway in most of the districts across the country. “We already started preparations. For instance, we have started looking at teams of counsellors and are looking to getting commitments from other non-professionals who will be helping us during this delicate period,” he said. Ahishakiye also pointed out that his organisation has started having in depth engagements with district authorities all over the country to draw up plans so that there is no clash of activities. “We are also working on encouraging district leadership to fix survivors’ challenges that are manageable before we go into the commemoration period,” he said. The main commemoration event is due to April 7. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Rwf3b earmarked for Genocide commemoration activities