Over 300 members of Dukundane Family, in partnership with the residents of Gasabo District, on Saturday, gathered in Rutunga Sector on the shores of Lake Muhazi to honour the 1994 Genocide victims who were dumped into the lake.

Dukundane Family is an organisation that brings together young survivors who studied at Groupe Scolaire Saint Andre, a catholic-run secondary school based in Nyarugenge District.

The commemoration event was attended, among others, by the City of Kigali Vice Mayor for Social Affairs, Judith Kazayire, and Ibuka president, Prof Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu.

Ibuka is the umbrella organisation of Genocide survivors. Relatives to the victims who were thrown in different water bodies, mainly around Kigali, also attended the event.

In her remarks, Kazayire thanked the youth for organising the event, adding that the young generation must take the lead in promoting national unity and patriotism in order to take the country forward.

"Commemoration is the time to reflect on how low our country sunk, the bad history and the consequences of bad leadership. The wreaths we have laid here on the shores show that we do not only remember the victims buried at memorial sites but everyone who was killed,” she said.

"We have to fight genocide ideology. It is shameful to hear of people still doing bad things against survivors. Families should teach their children about unity and patriotism,” she added.

Robert Shimirwa, the Coordinator of Dukundane Family said water bodies were used as a weapon during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

He added that such commemoration activities are meant to ensure that survivors whose families were dumped into lakes and rivers find time to honour the memory of their loved ones.

Recounting the horrors

Josephine Uwabyaye, a mother of three, recalled how she miraculously survived having been pursued by Interahamwe militia.

"The killers ran after us. One of my friends who knew how to swim jumped into the lake but only drew the attention of the killers. They jumped into the water, pulled her out and killed her.

‘‘I ducked in the shrubs in the bank where I ended up staying for days and without anything to eat until a Good Samaritan came and took me to his home where I stayed until the RPF soldiers came to rescue us,” she said.

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