Hundreds mourn Sen. Mpayimana

GASABO - Scores of people yesterday turned up for the burial of Senator Elie Mpayimana who succumbed to stomach and kidney complications on Wednesday afternoon. Many colleagues and family members who gave testimonies at the deceased’s funeral Remera cemetery, said that he was a man obsessed with telling the truth and selflessly working for his country. “This man has left a heritage as a he was characterised with integrity and telling the truth in whichever circumstance. The onus is upon us to take up this, build upon these principles he dearly cherished,” said Senate President, Vincent Biruta. Mpayimana, is remembered by many as having stood by his truth the time he was a practicing journalist during the 1990-94 liberation struggle. “He never shied away from telling the truth even when he knew he could have died…for instance he never feared to attack the Habyarimana (Juvenal) regime on their human rights abuses and he almost died for this,” said Sam Gody Nshimiyimana, who has been a close friend to Mpayimana. He attacked the bad leadership that was prevailing then in his private newspaper L’ere de Liberte, which continued to publish even after the 1994 Genocide. The deceased who is survived by a wife and three children was before his appointment as a Senator, a commissioner in the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC). The Minister in the President’s Office, Solina Nyirahabimana, on behalf of President Kagame said that the deceased’s role in promoting human rights will be greatly missed. “The President, together with his family, is very much saddened by the death of Senator Mpayimana, who collectively worked with other stakeholders in reconstructing the country after the Genocide,” said Nyirahabimana. Other speakers included Youth Minister Protais Mitali who delivered a speech on behalf of the Prime Minister and the entire cabinet. He said that the exemplary political life that was led by the deceased should be emulated by all, especially the future generation. He said that the entire cabinet would have been in attendance had it not been for a cabinet meeting which they were attending the time of the burial. Also in attendance was Francois-Xavier Ngarambe, the Secretary General of the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF), the party to which the deceased belonged. Ngarambe in his eulogy said that that Mpayimana who died at 44, was still needed by his political organisation, “he has fervently worked in the interest of our party’s core principles ever since he took an oath as a party member.” Prior to his burial, a requiem service was held at the deceased’s home in Kacyiru, Gasabo District. Mpayimana’s body, which was draped in the national flag, then lay in state at the Senate Plenary Room where his colleagues paid their last respects. Others who paid their respects to the fallen Senator were members of the lower Chamber of Parliament, ministers and heads of different government institutions. Ends