Thousands of Rwandans, including international celebrities and conservation enthusiasts, yesterday gathered at the foot of Virunga Mountains in Kinigi, Musanze District,Northern Province, to witness the 9th baby gorilla naming ceremony, popularly known as Kwita Izina. 

The colourful event saw 12 baby gorillas named under the theme ‘Celebrating Nature, Empowering Communities’. 

Prime Minister Dr Pierre Damien Hamuremyi was the guest of honour at the naming ceremony during which he and other selected individuals gave names to the 12 gorilla babies.

Tourists from all over the world didn’t miss out the annual occasion that provides unique and utterly breathtaking mountain gorilla experiences.

American actor Isaiah Washington IV was the first person to name a baby gorilla, which he named Karisimbi.

Renowned Nigerian film actor, Ramsey Tokunbo Nouah Jr, named a baby gorilla Ganza loosely translated as ‘Always dominating’. 

Others who participated in giving names to the gorillas were Rifai Taleb, the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organisation and David Sachs, an American economist and Director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University.

The event also attracted Kenyan Senate Speaker Hon. Ekwe Ethuro, who was accompanied by other senators. It was also attended by Rwanda’s senior government officials, members of diplomatic corps and foreign dignitaries from all over the world.

Clare Akamanzi, the chief executive officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), said that the occasion doesn’t only focus on Kwita Izina, it also aims at celebrating Rwanda’s tourism and fruits of conservation.

"Kwita Izina enables us to express ourselves, our experiences in life, aspirations for the future and our dreams,” she said.

Since the inception of Kwita Izina, the gorilla population has grown by 26 per cent – 161 baby gorillas have been born in the last eight years.

Gorilla permits cost $750 for foreign tourists but this price has not stopped them from frequenting Rwanda to see the gorillas.

According to Primate Safaris, a tour company, about 80 tourists visit the gorillas daily.

Premier Habumuremyi said that Kwita Izina originates from Rwanda’s traditional culture, where a newly-born was named eight days after birth.

"Baby naming is only reserved for human beings but given the value we attach to the mountain gorillas, we decided to give them names as well,” he said.

Habumuremyi called for concerted efforts to conserve nature and biodiversity, and urged communities to protect and conserve gorillas.

The occasion has been marked on the international conservation calendar as a big day for Rwanda and conservation enthusiasts.

This year’s Kwita Izina started with a caravan tour on Friday where participants visited key tourist sites from Kigali to Kinigi, such as Musanze, Twin Lakes Burera and Ruhondo, Nyabarongo River, Buhanga Eco-Park and Red Rocks Cultural Centre among others.

Participants were treated to a thrilling performance by Kevin Lyttle, the Vincentian soca artist, Tanzania’s bongo flava star Ali Kiba, Burundian artist Kidumu, and a horde of local artists, including local dance troupes, acrobats, actors and drummers among others.

"We are happy with the government of Rwanda for supporting us through revenues generated from gorillas. We shall do what it takes to protect the lives of gorillas in Virunga mountains,” Damas Ntawukuriryayo, a resident of Kinigi, Musanze District, told Sunday Times.

According to RDB, more than Rwf1.4 billion has been channeled towards community projects since 2005 in the 41 sectors bordering the three national parks.

The five per cent tourism revenue sharing programme targets communities around the national parks of Volcanoes (north), Nyungwe (west), and Akagera in the eastern part of the country.

Last year, the tourism sector generated $281.8m (about Rwf178 billion) compared to $251.3m (about Rwf159 billion) the previous year, an increase of 17 per cent, according to 2012 Rwanda Development Board (RDB) figures.

"Rwanda is a beautiful country, it’s unforgettable. I learned today how they conserve gorillas. It’s always good to come to a place like this. I was extremely excited after naming a baby gorilla Ganza,” said Ramsey, the acclaimed Nigerian film actor.

Dr Paula Kahumbu, the executive director of the Kenya Land Conservation Trust, called for protection of endangered species and hailed Rwanda for taking the lead.

"My work is to protect the lives of elephants. We should be learning from Rwanda’s experience by conserving our nature and treasuring our biodiversity.”

She named a baby gorilla Ikigega, which means granary.

Rwanda is home to a third of the world’s remaining 750 mountain gorillas.