Hundreds of people gathered in the rural Mugina Sector, in Kamonyi District in Rwanda to welcome ‘Kwibuka Flame,’ or rememberance of genocide. The people of Kigali lights up torches and candles in January every year… which symbolises hope, ahead of the April 7 start of national mourning as Rwanda marks 20 years since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi community.
A 40 minute drive deep in the village called Mugina from the Kigali-Muhanga highway, was chosen by president Kagame this year to host the Flame due to its particular genocide history.
Mugina was the scene of cruelest and barbarous killings of Tutsis during the Genocide period. Thousands of Tutsis perished in the genocide. When massive killings targeting Tutsis in Rwanda started in April 1994, thousands of them fled their home areas and gathered at Mugina Catholic Parish. Many of the Tutsis who survived genocide were shielded by the bourgoumestre (mayor) Callixte Ndagijimana who called public meetings to speak against the killings.
Most of the Tutsis killed were in the villages, districts and towns of Mugina, Kigali, Bugesera, Ntongwe, Taba, Runda and Musambira. Mayor Ndagijimana was killed on 17th April 1994 for opposing Tutsi killings.
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