SOUTHERN PROVINCE

HUYE — Police in Nyaruguru district are holding six people in connection with the brutal murder of Jacqueline Mukamanzi, the Cell executive secretary of Mariba in Rusenge Sector. Sources say Mukamanzi, 24, was murdered on Saturday February 16, at around 7pm as she returned home.

Mukamanzi, one of the survivors of the 1994 Genocide also doubled as the head of Intore (cultural institution) in the district.

The motive of the murder is yet to be established.
Speaking to The New Times, on Monday, the Governor of the Province Fidele Ndayisaba, said police have launched investigations and no stone will be left unturned, to establish the motive of the murder. It is highly believed she may have been targeted because she was a Genocide survivor.

Ndayisaba said: "We are greatly concerned over the unnecessary loss of innocent lives. We have put mechanisms in place to protect all Rwandans and more especially Genocide survivors who have been targeted in the past.”

"We shall leave no stone unturned until the culprits are brought to book, like it has been done in previous cases of the same nature,” he added.

According to the Mayor of Nyaruguru district, Felix Sibomana, the victim was killed 300meters from her home in a densely populated residential area.

Among the suspects arrested include the deceased’s former husband only identified as Ngenzi, who she had reportedly divorced albeit unofficially.

According to the President of IBUKA (an umbrella association of Genocide survivors) in Nyaruguru district, Celecien Karekezi, the motives of the killers is not known, "we await police investigations,” he said.

Karekezi said that the conduct of residents in the neighbourhood should be condemned by all.

"The deceased was killed as early as 7pm when people were still awake. But they intentionally refused to come to her rescue; as she was hacked with machetes,” Karekezi said by phone.

Such attacks especially targeting Genocide survivors are not new in the Province. Late last year six people including a Gacaca judge were brutally murdered in separate incidents. Culprits have since been brought to book.

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