OVER the years, celebrities have proved to be very highly influential people whose actions and decisions are seen and often emulated by a wide range of their audiences. Research has shown that celebrities have a powerful impact on how people view themselves, and how they live and lead their lives, whilst comparing it to their favourite celebrities who in most cases are people they admire and look up to. The actions of celebrities also tend to influence how people envision the world.

Many celebrities have a very high following on their social media platforms, hence they use their social media presence to push various campaigns that they affiliate themselves with, call out various injustices and atrocities in society, endorse an agenda of political leaders, among other things that are going on in their society.

This year, Rwanda marks the 28th Commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi which remembers the lives of the people that were slaughtered mercilessly. During this period, we expect the local celebrities to use their presence to push forward certain things on their various social media platforms. 

Speaking to The New Times regarding the role of the local celebrities during this period, Olivier Tuyisenge, a representative of the Music Federation, said that in 1994 during the Genocide against the Tutsi, some celebrities participated and were perpetrators of the atrocities that took place in the country. This is why local celebrities today are very much involved in the commemoration activities, and even go an extra mile to shape their art in line with this time in order to promote unity to ensure that such will never happen again.

He further explained that the Kwibuka period is a critical and sensitive period in the country and local celebrities have over the years come up with various initiatives to commemorate the lives that were lost during the Genocide. One initiative during this period that they take part in is ‘acts of recognition’ for the vulnerable survivors of the Genocide whom they help and support.

For the past week as the country commemorates Kwibuka28 the federation of artists has also taken part in a week of remembrance in collaboration with DOVA Business artists in the music industry, in partnership with Rwamagana District, and  idea that was developed by artiste Ama G The Black.

"Local celebrities should continue to fight for unity, use their social media platforms to denounce hypocrites and genocide deniers, and create art that promotes unity and teaches the true history of Rwandans,” said Tuyisenge. 

Local celebrities are encouraged to push forward awareness on the Genocide against the Tutsi and embark on projects in their career path that can educate their audience on what happened in the country in 1994, since a big number of the audience is the youth, who for the longest time are still trying to understand what really happened.