Rwandans urged to take part in the selection of national heroes

It is the duty of every Rwandan to participate in the vetting of people designated for national decoration, the head of the recently established Chancellery for heroes and national orders and decorations of honour has said.During an exclusive interview, the Executive Secretary for the Chancellery, Ignatius Karegesa Kamali said that they will soon establish a mechanism of reaching out to Rwandans not only in the country, but also those in the Diaspora.“We will be asking people, individuals they think have performed outstandingly in everyday life. We will involve the citizens in all levels in Identifying and verification and all districts and at all levels up to the Mudugudu level,” said Kamali during the interview at his office in Remera. He said that the Chancellery, which is currently located at Amahoro National Stadium, will soon get its own premises and the search for people to be rewarded will kick off in earnest. The former High Commissioner to South Africa said that unlike the pre-colonial Rwanda, where recognition was only bestowed to fighters on the war front, the Chancellery will be looking beyond this, to cover all aspects of the society.“For example look at an athlete, who has won medals for the country, a person who has encouraged and practiced reconciliation and so on…that’s why we go to the grassroots levels to identify such persons. So this person must have really excelled in their fields,” he said.The Chancellery takes over the work of a Commission which had a similar mandate, and which already identified some Rwandans that have since been recognised.Those that have since been decorated for their contribution to the nation, in different capacities, and some of those that paid the ultimate price in service to the country lie at the National Heroes Mausoleum.In the highest category of heroes are two people—the late founding chairman of Rwanda Patriotic Front, Maj. Gen Fred Gisa Rwigema and the Unknown Soldier symbolising all those fighters that lost their lives during the 1990-94 liberation struggle. For full interview with the Executive Secretary for the Chancellery, Ignatius Karegesa Kamali http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=15167&a=60316