A commemoration event marking the 32nd anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi was held on Friday at the Ggolo Memorial Site in Mpingi District, Uganda.
During the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, many victims were killed and their bodies dumped into rivers and streams in Rwanda, which later carried them into Lake Victoria, shared by neighboring countries including Uganda.
At the time, Mohamood Thobani, a fishing operator on the Ugandan side of Lake Victoria, encountered large numbers of bodies washed into the lake, prompting a humanitarian response that would define his legacy.
Deeply moved by the tragedy, Thobani halted fishing activities and initiated efforts to recover the bodies, ensuring they received dignified burials.
As the number of bodies continued to rise, he ordered a full suspension of fishing operations in affected areas and incentivized recovery efforts, offering fishermen 20 US dollars for each body retrieved.
A total of 4,771 victims are buried at the Ggolo Memorial Site in Mpingi District, established on land personally donated by Thobani to ensure the deceased were laid to rest with dignity.
In total, more than 10,000 victims recovered from Lake Victoria have been buried across memorial sites in Ggolo, Lambu, and Kansesero.
The memorial sites are personally overseen by Thobani as part of efforts to preserve the memory and evidence of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. His actions have been widely recognized by the Government of Rwanda, despite his own modest view that he acted out of humanitarian duty rather than expectation of recognition.
In 2023, he was named among Rwanda’s “Guardians of the National Pact,” and in April 2024 he was awarded a certificate of recognition and the “Protector of the Pact” medal by Rwanda’s Ambassador to Uganda, Rtd Col. Joseph Rutabana, on behalf of Unity Club Intwararumuri.
Beyond his role in dignified burials, Thobani has also supported Genocide survivors in Rwanda. In 2018, he donated 50 bicycles to survivors in Rukumberi, Ngoma District, and continues to support annual commemoration activities in their honor.
Uganda is currently home to 10,983 Genocide victims laid to rest across three memorial sites: Ggolo (4,771), Lambu (3,337), and Kansesero (2,875).
