Ukuri Kuganze Association

Contact Information

  • Where – Rwanda (Eastern Africa)
  • Contact Person – Didas Kayinamura
  • Email – quelaveritetriomphe@yahoo.fr
  • Address – Kicukiro District, Kigali City

Areas of Expertise

The Ukuri Kuganze Association has expertise in a range of areas, including:

Main Aims and Objectives

The Ukuri Kuganze Association (‘Let Truth Prevail’) was established in 2003 by Didas Kayinamura; a self-confessed genocide perpetrator and former prisoner, who was released through a presidential decree. The Association is today comprised of both survivors and perpetrators of genocide, as well as refugees from 1994 and families with members or neighbours in prison because of their involvement in genocide. All are committed to speaking the truth about what happened in Rwanda, thereby bringing people together and helping to restore trust.

The Association’s mission it to serve as a witness, speaking the truth about what happened during the genocide and creating a conducive environment for forgiveness and reconciliation in Rwanda.

The objectives of Ukuri Kuganze are:

  • To contribute to the unification and reconciliation process in Rwanda.
  • To fight against genocide and its ideology, to help all members of the Rwandan society to transcend divisions.
  • To work towards development and good governance.
  • To help build respect trust, honesty and mutual support.

Upholding the Principles of Conflict Transformation

The Ukuri Kuganze Association organises gatherings for its members and conducts community outreach activities and public talks with community members, especially prisoners.

Where and with Whom?

The Association operates in Kicukiro District and Nyarugenge District in Kigali City, plus Bugesera District and Kayonza District in the Eastern Province.

The Association has developed partnerships with different institutions including: the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission; the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG); African Leadership And Reconciliation Ministries (ALARM); World Vision Rwanda and District Authorities (where the association operates). At a national level, the Ukuri Kuganze Association has currently reached over 1,000 beneficiaries.

Main Activities in the Field of Conflict Transformation

Contributed to the Gacaca Courts by sensitising criminals to confess their crimes and encouraging victims to forgive: the association has encouraged members who admitted perpetrating genocide crimes to approach and apologise to each and every person affected, disclosing the truth about how and where they killed their family members.
Built 42 houses for its members (with support from the European Union and the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission).

The Association also mobilised members to speak truth about what happened during the genocide. Through the efforts and testimonies given by Ukuri Kuganze’s members, mass graves containing the bodies of genocide victims were tracked: by 2005, 816 bodies in the Gahanga Sector and two bodies in the Kagarama Sector – both located in Kicukiro District – were found.

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