Alleged theft at Genocide memorials

An inquiry will be launched into reports of theft of funds donated to Genocide memorial centres.The issue came to light when the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the fight against Genocide (CNLG), Jean de Dieu Mucyo, appeared before the House on Wednesday.It started after MP Joseph Desire Nyandwi, sought explanations about the alleged theft of visitors’ cash donations to Genocide memorials, by unscrupulous individuals. “I know of two incidents including one in Murambi. We took the matter to the Police for investigation. I saw someone donate 50 Euros, but when I followed it up, I discovered that it was not registered,” Mucyo confirmed the allegations.“There was another case in Nyamata where someone failed to find a way out after gathering all the money,” Mucyo added.When contacted by The New Times yesterday, Senior Superintendent Jean Marie Njangwe, the Eastern Province Police spokesman said Police was carrying out investigations. Mucyo said the commission has since decided to always take out the money before it accumulates, especially during commemoration periods when many people visit and make donations.“We request people to be vigilant and see to it that donations are put to their rightful use,” Mucyo said.The president of Ibuka, the umbrella association of the survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi, Prof. Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu, also a CNLG commissioner, said cash donations to the memorials remain with the commission until channeled directly into its budget through the Ministry of finance.Prof. Dusingizemungu says CNLG has many employees and they should be able to properly manage such funds and prevent thefts.“I do not understand why people steal donations. At the Gisozi memorial, Aegis Trust effectively manages the donations and money is put to good use. Such money should be used to help the many survivors associations that lack enough funding in their activities,” said Prof. Dusingizemungu.The Aegis Trust, a British NGO manages the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, in Gisozi, on behalf of CNLG.Rwanda has six main national Genocide memorial centres, including Bisesero, Nyamata, Nyanza, Ntarama and Gisozi. These centres receive donations from visitors.Cash donations are usually put in the donation boxes and later transferred to the CNLG account in the central bank.Other approximately 300 local memorials spread around the country do not collect donations.The Memorial at Gisozi receives about 6,000 visitors each month. It runs the country’s Genocide archive and provides Genocide education programmes for schoolchildren.Among others, donor funds are used to strengthen civil society organisations and develop links with international institutions and communities in other counties.The CNLG president, John Rutayisire, said this year, the total donation from visitors to memorial centres deposited on the CNLG account in the central bank is Rwf54, 749, 911.“The year 2012-13 ended with Rwf42, 538, 716 on the account which was carried forward into the next year,” he said, adding that the money will be used in the 2013-14 budget as required by the Ministry of Finance.