The Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour (CHENO) has launched a new research project aimed at identifying more heroes in the Rwandan community.
The research will identify citizens who have played a significant role as heroes in different aspects of life in the community and the role of residents providing information on such persons will be very crucial in the process.
During the launch ceremony, on July 10, 2013, the Executive secretary of t CHENO, said that the information from residents will enable the commission to examine and come up with the list of new heroes who will be according to the added to the already existing heroes.
Kamali noted that the exercise is open to new suggestion and negation, if need be, on the already existing list of heroes; since the commission is open to examine any of the ideas coming from the community.
He said that suggestions and new ideas will be welcomed on the official website, through email -www.cheno.gov.rw, and info@cheno.gov.rw and postal services will be available for those who cannot access either of those.
Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour was established by the constitution of 2003 in its article 186 and it is determined by the law nº 13 bis /2009 of 16/06/2009 determining the responsibilities, structure and functioning of the Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honor and domiciled in Kigali-Rwanda.
The Rwandan government approved a list of other national heroes and their categories established by an ad hoc commission in 2001. The heroes are categorised as ‘Imanzi’, ‘Imena’ and ‘Ingenzi’ respectively.
The first category comprises the Unknown Soldier and Rwigema.
The Unknown Soldier represents all known and unknown combatants who died in the struggle for the liberation of Rwanda from the previous Hutu regime which the current leadership accuses of being tyrannical and dictatorial.
The Unknown Soldier represents all known and unknown combatants who died in the struggle for the liberation of Rwanda from the previous Hutu regime which the current leadership accuses of being tyrannical and dictatorial.
Rwigema was the first RPF president who initiated the liberation struggle when the mainly Tutsi RPF rebels invaded Rwanda on 1 October 1990.
He died the following day.
He died the following day.
In the second category are late King Mutara V, Charles Rudahigwa and musician Micheal Rwagasana.
It also includes students of Nyange Secondary School in western Kibuye district, who were massacred by militiamen during a raid on the school in 1997.
The students were killed after refusing to be separated along ethnic lines of Hutus and Tutsis as ordered by Hutu extremists.
It also includes students of Nyange Secondary School in western Kibuye district, who were massacred by militiamen during a raid on the school in 1997.
The students were killed after refusing to be separated along ethnic lines of Hutus and Tutsis as ordered by Hutu extremists.
This category also includes two women, Felisita Niyitegeka and Agatha Uwiringiyimana who was prime minister when the genocide broke out in April 1994. Uwiringiyimana was among the first Hutu leaders killed by marauding presidential guards after the death of President Juvenal Habyarimana in a plane crash on 6 April 1994.