Contestants of the Primus Guma Guma Superstar season four, (PGGSS 4), together with Bralirwa staff, the sponsor of the music talent competition, yesterday visited Nyanza Genocide memorial site in Kicukiro District, where they listened in disbelief to horrifying stories of Genocide in the area.

The artistes had heard the horrific stories about the Genocide. The memorial site that shelters five mass graves is one of the biggest memorial sites in Rwanda. 

Sophie Musabeyezu, a psychologist and one of the workers at the memorial site, explained details about how the Genocide occurred and more so gave a historical account particularly about the people who were killed in Kicukiro District.

The memmorial Centre is the resting place of over 15000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi. 

But one particular grave has the remains of 28 members from one family.

Amidst a very sad mood, the contestants were led into prayer by Diana Teta, who asked God for forgiveness, reconciliation, peace, unity and blessings for the people of Rwanda.

Platini Nemeye of the Dream Boys in an emotional tone, talked on behalf of the contestants saying: "As we pay tribute to the souls of people that are burried here, we ought to draw lessons from this tragic occurrence and never let anything of this nature happen again. Every human deserves a right to live and we should all work towards unity of Rwandans.”

Jay Polly, Eric Senderi, Teta and Young Grace laid wreaths on behalf of all contestants in PGGSS4, before Senderi sang an emotional song about the Genocide called, Tuyizere. Senderi’s song gives a message of hope to survivors and most importantly relays a message that anything of that nature should never happen again in Rwanda and the world at large.

Also in attendance was the Marketing Manager of Bralirwa Martine Gatabazi. 

On behalf of the Bralirwa team and PGGSS4, Gatabazi gave a cheque worth Rwf500,000 for rehabilitation and maintenance of the Nyanza Genocide memorial site. 

She further said that PGGSS4 is together with Rwandans in remembering the past and using music to restore hope and build unity in Rwanda.

Being the second corporate social responsibility event to be held, Bralirwa through PGGSS4 will next week be lighting up ten houses for the Genocide survivors in Nyamirambo before Umuganda (community work) in Bumbogo, which will be the final CSR event of that nature this month.

Over the course of 100-days beginning on April 7th, 1994, approximately 1 million Tutsi were massacred in Rwanda. This being the commemoration week of the Genocide against the Tutsi, Primus Guma Guma Superstar Season 4 has taken a break for the contestants to join the country in commemorating and honouring Genocide victims.