WESTERN PROVINCE

KARONGI — The local district authorities have finalized plans on the for the upcoming 15th commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi.

A meeting called to draw up the programs  agreed that this year’s commemoration will be held at the cell level. On the first day of the commemoration week, it was agreed that all residents will take a ‘fight against genocide’ walk from where they will stop at designated points for a minute of ‘silence’ to give respect to those who were brutally killed during the genocide.

There after, the meeting directed that every one will then be expected to attentively listen to the speech by his Excellency the president  Paul Kagame in his address to the nation on the commemoration.

The New Times  (spoke) to different residents to find out how they perceived the preparations.

Claudine Uwinkesha, a trader in Kibuye market revealed that this year’s commemoration was a departure from previous events.

As a genocide survivor, she felt uncomfortable after she found out that her neighbours never commemorated the week the previous  year. However, she believes that this was because the plans  were organised at the district and hence relatively higher levels.

‘Now that plans are mooted at  cell level, every one will be in a position to be informed about the dangers of genocide and take positive decisions. We lost our beloved ones but I hope that with every one aware of the genocide,reconciliation can be given a chance,’ she said.

Jacque Bigirimana, a resident of Rubengera sector in Karongi District was recently repatriated from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Having fled the country in 1994, he has never participated in the commemoration .

However, Bigirimana is impressed with the preparations underway and is ready to participate in different programs  in his village.

‘This initiative of having programs at  cell level is really important . Every one will be given room to participate and we are ready to fight genocide from happening again,’ he said.

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