If you live in a major city anywhere in the world, you will sympathise with the drivers in Kigali, Rwanda. Add into this mix 100’s of motorbikes which are used as taxis and you have the perfect rush hour mix! How either the traffic moves relatively smoothly without traffic lights to keep the flow constant is a mystery known only to the drivers here. That being said, I did witness the aftermath of an accident that involved two bikes. Neither of the riders was too badly hurt, but the number of vehicles that stopped/slowed down to have a look caused a back up of monumental proportions…and no traffic police to sort it out.
This was the end destination of my trip. A return visit to the centre that stands as a memorial to the 1000000 people who were murdered during the genocide of 1994. A million people in a period of 90 days! That sort of horror cannot be imagined. None of the other genocides in history has attained that sort of manic killing rate. That is more than 11000 men women and children. It was the women who suffered the most as the Hutus wanted to make certain that there would be no more Tutsi children to create the next generation. If you would like more information about the Genocide, what caused it and what effects it had on Rwanda then and now, then follow this link to give you an overview of the situation as it stands currently on the 25th anniversary of that moment in time here in Rwanda. This is just one of the memorials that can be found across Rwanda.
Warning: This posting contains images that might affect sensitive readers.
“NEVER AGAIN” This recent addition to the grounds of the Kigali Genocide Memorial was added earlier in 2019 to mark the 25th-anniversary service that took place here. On my previous visit, this facility was remembering 20 years post-genocide. Given modern social platforms, this has become an iconic stopping point for photographs.
For me, this part of the Memorial Centre is the hardest to enter. It documents some of the many children that were slaughtered for no reason other than the fact that they were the wrong race. Lives snuffed out early, never to fulfil their possible potential, whatever that might have been.
Young David affected me back in 2014 and he did the same to me again on this visit. He was only 10 when he was tortured to death. He enjoyed making people laugh and he dreamed of becoming a doctor…a dream that would never be realized.
With the numbers of the dead being almost incomprehensible, the photographs of those murdered, raped, tortured and finally killed is mind-numbing. For me and I am certain for other visitors, it is impossible to take in the fact that each and every photograph represents a life lost. They blur into each other, becoming an amorphous whole rather than individuals who might have left family behind. There are survivors of those horrific months that are now sharing their stories with the world. I truly hope that the world is ready to listen to them.
Clothing that was recovered from mass graves. There is a room comprising display cabinets that are filled with the remnants of clothing. Again, each item representing the human that wore them…
Just some of the skulls that are on display (and I use the word display with the deepest respect). Look closely and you can see the damage that was done by either blunt objects of machetes.
At the beginning of the genocide, the Hutus were not armed with guns but relied on farm implements and clubs to carry out the killings. That arsenal did include the terrifying machete that was wielded with such deadly accuracy. It seems that the object of the murders was to kill slowly and to inflict as much pain as possible.
A room filled with statues representing those who fell during the dark days between April and July of 1994.
One of two stained glass windows that are a tribute to the deceased. With the light streaming in from behind, they lit up the darkness of the stairwells that they are situated in.
And life goes on…A portion of modern-day Kigali that can be seen from the Memorial. The city is a thriving metropolis that is probably the cleanest African city I have ever visited. The residents take pride in their surrounds and everyone contributes to keeping their city almost pristine. If only other cities around Africa would follow their lead.
And speaking of cleaning up. Not a leaf blower in sight! These women were part of a group that was cleaning up the grounds at the Memorial. Part of the culture-of-cleanliness of the inhabitants of not only Kigali but Rwanda as a whole.
From the recent ceremony that was held to mark the 25th anniversary of the Genocide. NEVER AGAIN. May the 250000 souls buried here be remembered for who they were and who they might have become.
I found this at the exit to one of the exhibition rooms. It states an aspect of mass killings that I had not contemplated before. If you are visiting Kigali, then a visit to this facility is a must. Allow yourself at least 2-3 hours to fully appreciate the experience. Highly recommended.
For more information on what occurred pre and post the genocide, a visit to the new Campaign Against Genocide Museum in the Gasabo district is a must. Opened in 2017, this facility offers visitors and in-depth overview of what happened both before and after the 100 days that comprised the actual genocide in 1994.
Travel and Things flew to Rwanda on RwandAir. The airline flies to a variety of African as well as international destinations and those routes can be found on their website.
Travel and Things stayed at this delightful guest house for the first part of the trip to Rwanda. Highly recommended on a variety of travel sites, The Nest offers reasonably priced comfortable accommodation and breakfasts.
While in Kigali and in order to get to Lake Kivu in comfort, Travel and Things will be utilizing the services of Martin Muyenzi and his tour company.
And finally, at the end of the trip, Travel and Things will be hosted by the Serena Hotels both at their Lake Kivu as well as Kigali properties. Having visited both previously, I am certainly looking forward to my return visit.
All images are the copyright property of
and may not be used without permission.
