Heroism in modern-day Rwanda is no different from the heroism of the past, even though the country is not at war, an official told Saturday Times this week.

Deo Nkusi, the Executive Secretary of the Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour (CHENO), explained that a national hero is anyone who achieves a special accomplishment of public interest and with high levels of proven integrity, patriotism, sacrifice, exemplary service, and bravery, among the long known nine Rwandan heroism values.

The Executive Secretary of the Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour, Deo Nkusi. Courtesy.

To be classified as a hero, one has to show all those values which also include vision, having a sense of purpose and direction and understanding the truth which is not open to all, and humanity – not being selfish and materialistic but caring for others.

But even if someone does not get to be classified as a national hero because he or she does not fulfil all the nine Rwandan heroism values, Nkusi explained, they can be awarded, "depending on what one has done or achieved.”

According to Immaculée Mirenge, a retired civil servant, it is not only during times of war that human beings in the face of danger combat adversity through feats of ingenuity and bravery.

She stressed that heroism is also about people stopping at nothing to find solutions to problems in society.

She said: "People need to dedicate efforts to searching for solutions to the many problems that afflict the society at large, and there are many problems including malnutrition, disease and others.”

"But during this search for solutions to society’s problems, one must not be in pursuit of their own glory and interests. This, really, is where heroism is rooted. And such people are really sincere. A hero is only interested in addressing a problem, and rescuing people.”

Mirenge went on to say that she recently heard a story of a young person who ran to rescue people who were about to be knocked by a speeding car and ended up being killed. Such a person, to her, is not thinking about themselves but about the safety of others. And that is a real hero.

Liberation war veteran, Capt [Rtd] Judith Mutamba, who is now a pastor, agrees with this view.

Mutamba said: "Heroism, to me, is about one loving their country as well as continuing to value their self-dignity. In everything we do, and everywhere we go, be it in foreign mission and other travels, one has to always raise the national flag high.

"To be heroes, we need to strive to continuously grow and develop ourselves and maintain our dignity and this, if possible, ought to go hand-in-hand with the will to love and die for the country. Such a spirit of patriotism is very important.”

Based on thorough research, Nkusi said, one can also be put in any of the already established three categories of national heroes.

Imanzi, the first category, is the supreme hero who demonstrated outstanding achievements of supreme sacrifice, outstanding importance and is exemplary. Rwanda only has two heroes here – the Unknown Soldier, representing all fallen soldiers who fought for national sovereignty before and after the colonial era, and Maj. Gen. Fred Gisa Rwigema.

The latter was the commander of the liberation movement – RPF/A which waged a war that overthrew the genocidal regime in 1994. He died on October 2, 1990, on the second day of the attack.

The second is Imena, the hero known for extraordinary acts for the country; supreme sacrifice, and being exemplary.

These include King Mutara III Rudahigwa (1911-1959) who greatly advocated for Rwanda’s welfare and independence, Michel Rwagasana, the former’s personal secretary who kept the spirit of unity and independence for Rwanda, and denounced ethnic segregation, long after the King passed on.

Others are former Premier Agatha Uwilingiyimana, assassinated in April 1994, Felicite Niyitegeka, who refused to give away Tutsi refugees she hid during the Genocide and died with them, in addition the Nyange secondary school students who also refused to separate themselves along ethnic lines, three years after the Genocide.

The third category is Ingenzi, the hero who is notorious for his or her ideas or outstanding achievements – characterized by supreme sacrifice, great importance and is exemplary.

No names are listed here yet. But the search, or research, which started about six years ago, continues so as to establish the heroes of this category.

What CHENO is doing, Nkusi said, is carry out exhaustive research on names it is given or finds out on its own to determine whether someone is really a hero.

But it does not end with them because other government institutions must also pore over the research "because heroism is something very important.”

The on-going research, he said, was started around 2014/15 and "every year, we conduct research on some people.”

"We have nearly 76 people we have done research on.”

Nkusi said: "But this does not mean that they will automatically be put in the category of national heroes. It means they can be awarded. But the long process [of research] goes through various institutions. People take time to verify things.”

"I can’t really say when it [research] will end because it is a long process. There are things we have finished but things still go up to our mother ministry.  

The names under research, he said, remain a secret until when approved and published by Cabinet.

Nonetheless, Nkusi emphasized that if someone, for example, discovered a vaccine for Ebola or the new coronavirus; "such a Rwandan would have attained something great.”

"He or she can be awarded highly or can be put in the level of national heroes if all the heroism values were found to match the deeds. Even a soccer star, an artiste or any other Rwandan found to have all the nine national heroism values can be considered as such.”