SEBUSHUMBA Edouard
For past three decades after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the former Giti commune, now part of Gicumbi District, in northeast Rwanda, was often cited as a rare exception — a place where, it was claimed, no Tutsis were killed thanks to the leadership of its bourgmestre, SEBUSHUMBA Edouard.
His story became legend: a local leader who mobilized his people to protect Tutsis, repelling attackers from neighboring communes until the area was eventually liberated by the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA).
However, testimonies and survivor accounts over the past few years have steadily challenged this long-cherished narrative. The problem, though, no one seems to be listening to their appeal.
Survivors and local leaders from the region are now urging a full reexamination of Giti’s history, insisting that the myth of “no genocide in Giti” must be corrected.
Early Warnings and Survivor Testimonies
Already in 2013, signs of a different reality were surfacing.
During that year’s Genocide commemoration activities in Ruvune Sector, Gicumbi District, Emelite Nyirarukundo, coordinator of Ibuka, the national association of Genocide survivors, in Gicumbi, openly challenged the prevailing account.
Speaking to The New Times at the time, Nyirarukundo said that although massacres in Giti might not have reached the same scale as elsewhere, many Tutsis were indeed targeted and killed.
“At first, people thought this area was safe for Tutsis during the Genocide, but later testimonies revealed damning details. Many survivors continue to complain about their loved ones who perished in this area but are yet to be accorded decent burial,” she said.
Nyirarukundo revealed that, in light of these revelations, a billboard proclaiming that Giti had no Genocide was removed.
“In this area, there are Genocide widows, orphans, and widowers… We also had Gacaca courts here,” she emphasized, underlining that Giti was not spared the horrors of 1994.
Survivors also highlighted long-standing problems, including poorly maintained memorial sites and the need for justice for those whose loved ones had never received proper burials.
Nyirarukundo urged perpetrators to seek forgiveness to support genuine healing.
Growing Allegations Against Former Bourgmestre SEBUSHUMBA Edouard
In recent years, survivor testimonies have only grown stronger. Two weeks ago, at a commemoration event held in Gicumbi district, survivors again rose up.
Particularly damning are allegations concerning SEBUSHUMBA Edouard himself — once hailed nationally for his supposed heroism.
Survivors from Giti recount that even before 1994, many Tutsis disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Several testimonies claim that SEBUSHUMBA’s own official vehicle was used to abduct Tutsis who were later killed, even if he was not physically present at the scenes.
According to these accounts, Tutsis were lured into so-called safe locations, only to be massacred. Survivors argue that while SEBUSHUMBA may not have personally committed the killings, he enabled or turned a blind eye to the crimes carried out under his leadership.
These voices are now louder than ever, demanding a reexamination of SEBUSHUMBA’s legacy and an official reckoning with the true history of Giti commune.
Rebuilding in the Shadow of Pain
Despite the painful past, Giti’s residents have worked hard to rebuild trust and community life.
Survivors like Jean Bosco Hasingizwemungu recounted the trauma of the post-genocide years and the slow journey to healing.
“In 1998, residents built me a house which I now live in,” he said. “From that time, I feel comfortable with my neighbors.”
Immaculee Mukankusi, 58, another resident, noted that unity and reconciliation efforts have taken root.
“We have lived through a tragic history, came out of it, and we are now trying to rebuild our lives and help move our country forward. I can confirm that we don’t have cases of genocide ideology in this area,” she said.
At the 2013 commemoration, the then-Mayor of Gicumbi District, Alexandre Mvuyekure, emphasized that Rwanda and genocide survivors had come a long way.
He called for continuous support for survivors as they build a future free from fear and hatred.
The rising volume of survivor testimonies from Giti calls for serious reflection.
If authorities choose to revisit the official narrative of Giti, it could reshape the historical understanding of how the Genocide unfolded even in places previously thought to be exceptions.
As Emelite Nyirarukundo warned back in 2013, survivors will not allow their history to be denied or distorted.
Whether investigations will be reopened or public recognition of the true events in Giti will follow remains to be seen.
One thing is certain: the myth that “there was no genocide in Giti” can no longer stand unchallenged.
