On April 22, 1994, across various locations, innocent lives continued to be brutally extinguished as the Genocide against the Tutsi swept through communities, leaving behind a trail of unspeakable horror and devastation.
In Huye District, at the Benedictines Sisters’ Monastery and Sovu Health Centre, Consolata Mukangango, the nun in charge of the monastery alongside her counterpart Julienne Mukabutera turned away the Tutsi who wanted to take refuge there, though they still pushed their way in.
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On April 22, 1994 at 8am, the monastery and health center were attacked and surrounded by Interahamwe and government soldiers. They killed the Tutsi who were there.
In 2001, Sister Mukangango was convicted of genocide crimes by a Belgian court and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Her colleague Mukabutera was also convicted of genocide crimes and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
In Huye, the killers attacked the Tutsi who had fled to the sector offices and murdered many of them. The Tutsi in question had fled from various places including Butare, Ngoma and Nyamagabe.
On the day, more than 35,000 Tutsi were killed, some of whom were burned with petrol.
The capital Kigali was also continuing to be ravaged by the killers. On April 22, 1994, many Tutsi were murdered at the Center of Languages (CELA) under the instruction of authorities including Colonel Tharcisse Renzaho, the governor of Kigali and Major-General Laurent Munyakazi, a top military officer in the ex-FAR.
Among others was Angeline Mukandutiye, a school inspector in Nyarugenge district, Father Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, a catholic priest, and Jean Bizimana, the mayor of Nyarugenge.
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In Gisagara District, Kansi sector, the Genocide against Tutsi got worse on April 22, 1994 as a large number of Tutsi were killed at Lake Cyamwakizi in a brutal way.
Interahamwe took away all their belongings, tied them up, tortured them, and dragged them down the road to the lake, naked. They were killed one by one on the way and their bodies were thrown into the lake.
In Ruhango District, Tutsi who had sought refuge on Nzaratsi hill attempted to defend themselves using stones, bows, and other traditional weapons, but they were overwhelmed and many were killed by the Interahamwe on April 22, 1994. More than 800 Tutsi were killed there.
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In Kamonyi District, at Bibare hill in Nyenyeri village, the killers used grenades and firearms to murder many Tutsi who had sought refuge there.
More massacres took place in various parts of the country including Huye and Nyrauguru as Rwanda continued to plummet into the 100 days of the bloody genocide against the Tutsi.