Senior government officials have described the late Senator Jean de Dieu Mucyo, 55, as a man who served his country with diligence.

The officials were speaking yesterday at parliament where the senator’s body lay in state as different government officials paid their last respects.

In his eulogy, read out by the Minister in the Office of the President Venantie Tugireyezu, President Paul Kagame said Mucyo had executed with diligence all assignments he undertook.

"Senator Mucyo served in different capacities; in the Ministry of Justice, National Public Prosecution Authority, the National Commission for the fight against the Genocide, on top of other assignments including military service;

"He was very brave in all his endeavors, Rwanda has lost an important person, May God rest him in peace,” the President’s message read in part.

This was also reiterated by Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) Secretary General Francois Ngarambe who said that the deceased was an exemplary party member and a commissioner in charge of justice, human rights, and the fight against genocide ideology.

"He has gone too soon, he was very young, his legacy shall forever live in our hearts as a devoted, hardworking and straightforward person who loved his country, his work and served with highest humility,” Ngarambe said.

Senate President Bernard Makuza said that the House had lost an experienced legislator even if he had served less than one year and that his legacy will live on.

"We are all witness to his patriotism; he passed away while on service which is a vivid sign of his strong commitment to serve. Senator Mucyo thrived to add value to anything and always exhibited pride of being Rwandan, we as senate want to assure his family of our support and inform them that our hearts and prayers are with them in these hard times,” he said.

The legislator who died on Monday this week was laid to rest at Rusororo Cemetery, yesterday. He is survived by a wife and four children.

His death followed an accident in which he tripped on the stairs in parliamentary building and was rushed to King Faisal Hospital from where he was pronounced dead.

He served in different capacities before being appointed senator. Mucyo headed the National Commission for the fight against the Genocide. He also served as the chairperson of a commission of experts that was established to probe the role of France in the Genocide against the Tutsi. He also served as the Minister of Justice before he became the Prosecutor General.

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