In a startling incident that occurred on Monday, April 10, a grenade was discovered at the construction site of the Bigogwe Genocide Memorial in Nyamirango Cell, Kanzenze Sector, in Rubavu District.

The Memorial is undergoing renovation and expansion and the explosive device was found during the excavation work being carried out on the site.

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According to the Executive Secretary of Kanzenze Sector, Faustin Nkurunziza, the grenade was found by construction workers. No one was hurt, and the authorities were immediately informed.

The community land on which the Bigogwe Genocide Memorial is being improved and expanded had been uninhabited for a long time.

The President of Ibuka in Rubavu District, Gerard Mbarushimana, told The New Times that construction operations continued after the incident.

"We are thankful that they reported it instantly, Rwanda Investigation Bureau officers came and collected the grenade, and we moved on with our day’s activities," Mbarushimana said.

"It is unclear how the grenade ended up at the site, and investigations are underway,” he added.

About Bigogwe Genocide Memorial

Bigogwe Genocide Memorial is an important site that holds the remains of more than 9,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The victims were killed in the Mutura and Rwerere areas and their bodies were buried in the mass graves at the memorial site.

The renovation and expansion work – set to cost Rwf851 million – of the Bigogwe Memorial site began on March 18 and is expected to last for 12 months.

The ongoing work aims to expand the existing site, making it more accessible to visitors.

New features that provide a more comprehensive understanding of the genocide will be added.