Rwanda Karate Federation says it has identified six former players who were killed during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, and now says it will organise a competition in their memory.
Youngsters doing demonstrations during a previous competition. The local karate federation will hold a Genocide memorial event in June. File
The first tournament will take place in June, officials said.
The identified victims include; Emmanuel Kigenza, Jean Marie Vanney Butare Kalisa, Aimable Rurangisa, Jean Léonard Gahamanyi and Clement Kagabo.
However, according to the Rwanda Karate Federation president Théogène Uwayo, they are still on search to ascertain other Karate players who were killed in the slaughters of 20 years ago.
The teams expected to compete in the one-day event dubbed ‘Never Again Karate Tournament’ include; Samourai, UR-Huye, APR, Rubavu, Musanze, Kicukiro Mamaru Karate Do, Kaisho, Hantei, Aigle, Kensei, Fight, Ngoma, Gicumbi, Nyagatare and Tigre.
By Peter Kamasa, The New Times