The Executive Secretary for Chancellery for Heroes, National Order and Decoration of Honour (Cheno), Deo Nkusi, has said his office has finalised scrutiny of 14 people nominated by the public as potential heroes and will soon forward the names to Cabinet for approval.

In 2013, Cheno initiated research aimed at collecting public views on who they wanted added on the list of national heroes. The exercise is aimed at recognising people who have done exceptional acts in society.

Speaking to Saturday Times on Thursday, Nkusi said the process, which is ongoing, has been fully embraced by the public not only in the nomination, but also in the scrutinising of nominees.

 "The Chancellery has been conducting research about potential heroes. The spirit behind this research is to ensure that the heroes are identified through credible and careful procedures. Once the exercise has been done satisfactorily, after a series of consultations, the Council of the Chancellery will submit its findings to the Cabinet, Nkusi said.

He was speaking ahead of the Heroes Day due Sunday, February 1.

He said that, so far, they have over 200 nominees from the public and the scrutiny is still ongoing.

"Among these, we have 14 whose names we will soon send to the Cabinet for approval. Once Cabinet is satisfied, the heroes will be declared through a Presidential Order,” he said, adding that they will continue scrutinising people nominated  by the public.

The criteria involves identifying patriots with proven integrity, those who have sacrificed  self interest on the alter of  public interest.

By law, Cabinet reserves the right to make any changes and the final report of the heroes will then be published and, according to Nkusi, this won’t be the end of the road, rather the exercise will continue.

The Minister for Sports and Culture, Joseph Habineza, contextualised the need for new heroes, saying that a hero can be anyone depending on how the public appreciates their acts.

"The liberation struggle ended 20 years ago but there is still a lot to do. We have a country to build and to achieve this, we need sacrifice from Rwandans,” he said.

The National Heroes’ Day falls on every February 1, during which time Rwandans pay homage to fallen compatriots who paid the ultimate price for the greater good.

 This year’s celebrations will be held under the theme; "‘Rwandans’ Heroism, Our Dignity’.

 The country’s top leaders are expected to visit Heroes Mausoleum near Amahoro Stadium in Remera, Kigali, where they will lay wreaths on the tombs of the feted heroes. Also to pay their respects at the Mausoleum are close family members of the departed heroes.

Across the country, citizens are expected to converge at designated areas, in their respective villages, to observe the day and share ideas that can contribute toward the country’s development.

The heroes

Among the most revered heroes is the Late Maj. Gen. Fred Gisa Rwigema, the valiant soldier  who spearheaded the quest for Rwandan refugees to return home and bring an end to a regime that had condemned a section of Rwandans to a permanent life of refuge, while it discriminated against and suppressed millions inside the country.

Rwigema falls under the Imanzi category alongside the Unknown Soldier, who represents all those that died during the liberation struggle between October 1990 and July 1994. Imanzi, which only has two honorees, cannot be bestowed to anyone who is still living.

The second category is known as Imena, and comprises those who made great sacrifices, while the third, Ingenzi, is composed of men and women who have led exemplary lives.

Heroes who fall under the second category (Imena), include King Mutara III Rudahigwa Charles Léon Pierre and Michael Rwagasana who was killed in the early 1960s for denouncing a Hutu supremacist ideology and ethnic violence.

Others in this category are Agatha Uwiringiyimana, the former prime minister who was killed in the first few days of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi; Félicité Niyitegeka, who was killed on April 21, 1994 for graciously hosting Tutsi refugees; and the six students of Nyange Secondary School, who died on the night of March 18, 1997 after defying attackers’ orders to separate themselves along ethnic lines.

Also in this category are the former students of Nyange school who survived the attack on the Ngororero District-based school.

Both living persons and the deceased can be placed in the Imena or Ingenzi category but, other than the Nyange heroes, no living citizen has been officially acknowledged as a hero under the stated categories.

Currently, no one has been placed under the third category, Ingenzi.