Cycling: Genocide memorial race for June

Rwanda Cycling Federation has confirmed that they will organise a Genocide memorial competition in June, although the dates haven’t been set yet.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Rwanda Cycling Federation has confirmed that they will organise a Genocide memorial competition in June, although the dates haven’t been set yet.

"We will do the same as we did last year as a way of remembering the Rwandans, who lost their lives during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi,” the federation president Aimable Bayingana said.

Last year, 90 local riders from different parts of the country competed in the first ever Genocide memorial race. They competed from Nyanza in Kicukiro District to Nemba in Bugesera District near the Burundi border and return to Kigali covering 107km.

Bonaventure Uwizeyimana of Rubavu-based Benediction club won the inaugural race, which was organised in conjunction with National Commission for Fight against Genocide (CNLG) and Rwanda Governance Board over the weekend.

The women riders rode 20km from Nyanza, Kicukiro to Nyamata and Jeanne d’Arc Girubuntu came first ahead of Clementine Niyonsaba and Benita Ingabire.

According to official information from the national cycling governing body, some of the riders, who were massacred during the Genocide include; Edouard Gasinzigwa, Theophile Gahutu [Cinee Elmay cycling club], Kayumba and Kayibanda [Club Rwamagana].

Others were; Ariette based [Club Gisenyi], Francois Musoni [Club Butare], Ancelime Sakumi, former vice chairman of the Rwanda cycling federation and Gasato, who was the national team member.