Genocide ideology: Lawmakers form another ad hoc commission

PARLIAMENT - The Chamber of Deputies has established an ad hoc commission to further scrutinise a recent parliamentary probe report that revealed alarming cases of genocide ideology in several schools. The six-person commission, headed by MP Bernadette Kanzayire, has also been mandated to summon Education minister Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya to give further explanations on what the ministry is doing to fight the problem. Mujawamariya and the State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Joseph Murekeraho on Tuesday and Wednesday this week appeared before the Chamber but their explanations were unconvincing to the infuriated legislators. The commission was formed on Wednesday evening after a day-long session in which some lawmakers, at one time, insinuated that Mujawamariya could herself be harbouring genocide ideology. The minister denied she harbours the destructive ideology when she came under intense fire. Other members on the committee are Alfred Gasana (vice president), Donatilla Mukabalisa, Alfred Kayiranga Rwasa, Françoise Mukayisenga and Jean Baptiste Ziumulinda. The new House ad hoc commission has 15 days to complete the exercise. Mukabalisa chaired a six-man parliamentary probe commission which on Monday last week released a report that revealed damning revelations on the extent of genocide ideology in some schools, with some secondary schools registering 97 percent cases of the ideology.The institution of a second commission to study the report and get further explanations from the education ministers comes after Mujawamariya and Murekeraho failed to give satisfactory answers as to what the ministry is doing to curb the problem. Among the commission’s duties is to explore stringent measures together with the ministry to check the ideology, which some MPs have described as ‘cancerous.’ Vice Speaker Denis Polisi said that the move will provide the two ministers enough time to give detailed explanations to a “selected team of MPs” (the ad hoc commission) on their strategies to address the ideology, which, at its height in 1994, led to the slaughter of at least a million Rwandans. Later, Polisi said, the commission will give a report to a plenary session, which will further scrutinise it. “Should the plenary find the report lacking, the (Education) minister will be summoned once again in a plenary session as the law stipulates,” Polisi explained. The commission head, Kanzayire, said: “It is the opportunity for the minister to give a comprehensive explanation on the issue.” Mujawamariya welcomed the setting up of the commission with some relief. She said that it would give her enough time to explain her ministry’s strategies to curb genocide ideology in schools. “We shall discuss the report findings in detail, which will help us understand more about the intensity of the problem and to come up with tough measures against the vice,” Mujawamariya said yesterday. MPs blamed Mujawamariya for not taking the matter seriously and warned that they would do anything to ensure that political leaders responsible for schools act accordingly. Ends

National

Genocide ideology: Lawmakers form another ad hoc commission