Government officials and community members on April 8 gathered at the banks of Akagera River in Kirehe District to honor and remember thousands of innocent people who were killed and their bodies thrown in the river by Interahamwe militia during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Eyewitness accounts and survivor testimonies on Tuesday shed light on the horrific events in the region, during the Genocide, when many Tutsi families sought to escape from mass killings by fleeing across Akagera River into neighbouring Tanzania but their paths to safety were obstructed by strategically deployed genocidal militia.
According to Bonaventure Nduwimana, the president of Ibuka, the genocide survivors' umbrella organisation in Kirehe District, "Interahamwe militias were deployed along the river specifically to capture, kill, and dispose of fleeing Tutsi. Many people were caught in areas such as Rusumo, Mahama, and Nyarubuye."
Among the few who survived these atrocities is Edith Niragire, a resident of Mpanga Sector, who lost her parents, and siblings.
Niragire said: "They used my clothes, tied me, my father, brother, and sister-- hands and legs. They dumped us in the river before killing my father and brother. The river washed them away as I watched.
"I survived that day along with my sister, who later passed away. Many were killed while hiding on the riverbanks, trying to save their lives. I hid under reeds and pretended to be dead until RPA soldiers arrived in a boat and rescued me. Every time I pass by this river, I feel the weight of that day all over again."
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Local records indicate that approximately 160 people survived the killings that took place along the river. According to survivors, survival came at the cost of enduring profound psychological and physical trauma--burdens that remain decades later.
Bruno Rangira, the Mayor of Kirehe District, reiterated the district's ongoing efforts to preserve memory and promote national healing. Speaking at the commemoration, he announced new initiatives that underscore cross-border solidarity in remembrance
Rangira said: "Besides efforts on our side, in partnership with Ibuka, and the Government of Tanzania, plans are underway to construct a memorial site in Ngara District, in Tanzania's Kagera region. The site will serve to honor thousands of the Tutsi whose bodies were found in the river after being thrown in from Rwanda."
The Kwibuka 31 ceremony included a wreath-laying event at the banks of Akagera River, survivor testimonies, and public reflections on resilience and the enduring pursuit of peace.
Residents were reminded that remembrance is not solely an act of mourning, but also a profound ethical responsibility that calls for an unwavering commitment to unity, truth, and reconciliation.
Rangira emphasized the importance of vigilance against all forms of genocide denial, revisionism, and divisionism, stressing that the duty to safeguard historical truth and honor the memory of the victims lies with every citizen. Such collective responsibility, he said, is essential to ensure that the atrocities of 1994 are never repeated.
