Blogs from Kigali, Ville de Kigali, Rwanda, Africa - page 2

Went down to the bus station this morning to figure out how to get to Gisakura tomorrow. What a manic place. There must be 20 different outfits operating out of the one station. Eventually found that Omega Buses are the guys I need, buses leave from about 6.30am and cost Rwf 5200 to Gisakura. Took a mototaxi back up the hill to the Auberge just in time to meet Benjamin, my driver for the trip to Nyamata & Ntarama to see the genocide memorials. Almost became a statistic when we were cut up by a Toyota 4WD but Benjamin's lghtening reflexes saved the day. I wouldn't want to drive in Kigali! Got out to the Church at Nyamata but there was no guide avialable at that point so went on to Ntarama. The bent up iron ... read more

They call Rwanda the land of a Thousand hills, but as I travelled from the border to Kigali, I couldn’t help but think about the hundreds of thousands who had been brutally hacked to death on these very roads only 18 years previously. Rwanda will evoke memories of some sort of atrocity in most peoples’ minds, but a lot don’t realise that atrocity doesn’t even begin to explain what occurred between April and June 1994 in this country. The exact number of people killed will never be known, but it is estimated that 1.2 million were massacred, mostly by machetes. Many were tortured, raped or had limbs amputated before death. Neither women nor children were spared, no infant too young to be hacked to death. To put it into some kind of perspective, approximately 3 times ... read more

Kigali, like the whole of Rwanda has been known as a dangerous place and not many tourists have made to this small county in East Africa. In fact the recent and tragic history has been washed out and everyone is struggling to forget the consequences of the 94 genocide. Unfortunately this incident has left deep wounds and anxiety not just in Rwandans but in the rest of the world as well. When you are in the place where it all happened just few years ago, you are facing this history in absolute different way and you’ll be touched deeply. Kigali streets are overcrowded and people passing by you, and then you realize that all the adults would have witnessed the genocide and everyone has been scared more or less by this horrible tragedy. You never know, ... read more

Kigali is the capital of Rwanda and has about 1million inhabitants. It is very built up compared to the densely populated farmland elsewhere in the country. There are many multi storey hotels and large 24hr shopping centres. The internet connections are fast but there is only one international visa ATM which doesn't even work with all visa cards. We stay in the Okapi Hotel, but as usual get one of the worst rooms. This time we struggle for running water! Our first mission in Kigali is getting a Congolese visa, the situation has recently changed and you can no longer get a visa at the border for $35, instead we have to pay $20 to fill out the form, $120 for the visa and $25 for the express next day service!! It also requires many photocopies; ... read more

Today was Liberation Day for Rwanda. It marks 16 years since the RPF ended the genocide in 1994. I arrived at the stadium at 8:30 am to observe the government ceremonies. My father was busy preparing a party for work so he sent me with his friend Jean-Paul who works with TIG coordinating community service for genocidaires, those guilty of genocide. I was a little uneasy as soon as we got there. About 200 people walked by me with RPGs. I could tell I would be in for an extrememly militatristic day. We sat until 9:45 when things got underway. Two marching bands came in. They were followed by 2 groups with AK-47s, 2 with RPGs, 2 with RPDs, then the police with AK-47s. Last was a flag guard with AK-74u guns. Kagame, the president, eventually ... read more