Nyabihu district has announced plans to construct a new Genocide Memorial. Sources within the district say that local officials are in the process of raising Rwf  85 Million to construct a memorial centre at  Mukamira capable of  hosting  remains that are yet to be accorded a decent reburial.

Jean Damascene Ndagijimana, Nyabihu district mayor, said that 3,759 remains are yet to be buried to date and the district is doing every thing possible to have the victims reburied by April. 

"We have managed to raise Rwf 48 Million to build the first phase of the memorial, unfortunately CNLG has turned down our facilitation request, claiming to have other seven national memorials to cater  for,” Ndagijimana told The New Times.

"We managed to convince public servants to part with 10 percent of their salaries towards the construction project and now we are widening our contribution sources to include friends and the people born in our district who reside in Kigali to assist in this endeavour.”

The mayor added that such efforts are bearing meaningful results. During the weekend, a fundraising drive held in Rubavu, managed to net an additional Rwf 1.5 Million.

The Mayor added that plans are underway to hold other  fundraising drives in  Musanze in the Northern Province and ultimately in the capital Kigali.

"We have finished the foundation of the building and we are mobilizing the money for the purposes of constructing the remaining structures,” he added.

Ends