Today, 1st February 2026, Rwanda proudly celebrates its 32nd National Heroes Day.

    Today, 1st February 2026, Rwanda proudly commemorates its 32nd National Heroes Day, a moment of national reflection and tribute to the individuals whose extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and dedication laid the foundation of the country’s resilience and progress. This important day provides an opportunity for citizens to remember the heroes who stood for justice, unity, and sovereignty, often at great personal cost. As the nation honors their legacy, National Heroes Day also serves as a reminder of the values that continue to guide Rwanda’s journey toward peace, development, and shared responsibility for the future.

To mark this year’s Heroes Day, His Excellency Paul Kagame, together with First Lady Jeannette Kagame, lays a wreath at the National Heroes Mausoleum in Kigali to pay tribute to Rwanda’s heroic sons and daughters.

The occasion honors the lives and unwavering patriotism of those who struggled for the nation and were instrumental in restoring peace.

Why and When is National Heroes Day?

National Heroes Day is an official public holiday observed in Rwanda every year on 1st February by both the public and private sectors. The day is dedicated to honoring individuals who demonstrated exceptional patriotism, courage, and selfless sacrifice in service of the nation and its people.

A hero is a person distinguished by their character and behavior, embodying courage, integrity, and love.** They selflessly dedicate themselves to others, protecting people and their country without concern for personal risk or gain. A hero strives for truth and justice, choosing to do good even when doing wrong would be easier or more advantageous. They possess a resilient heart, endure challenges, and show love for others. In short, a hero is someone **who stands firmly by their principles, cares for humanity, and pursues what is good and just at all times**, whether in easy or difficult circumstances.

— Dr. Havugimana Alexis

Although many countries honor their national heroes, Rwanda’s National Heroes Day is particularly notable for its detailed categorization and emphasis on sacrifice. Rwanda’s recent history of violence and struggle has influenced this unique system of recognition. Heroes are honored under three categories: Imanzi, Imena, and Ingenzi.

Imanzi is the highest level of recognition and is reserved for heroes whose contributions involved ultimate sacrifice, exceptional importance, and moral example. This category includes the Unknown Soldier, representing all those who died during the liberation struggle or may die defending the nation in the future. Major General Fred Rwigema, who lost his life on the battlefield shortly after the liberation war began in October 1990, is also honored in this category.

Who exactly was Fred Rwigema, the Rwandan military leader?

Major General Fred Gisa Rwigema was a Rwandan military leader and one of the founding figures of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). He is widely remembered as a national hero of Rwanda for his role in the country’s liberation struggle.

Fred Rwigema was born in  10 April 1957  in Gitarama, southern Rwanda, which is now Nyamiyaga Sector in Kamonyi District.  Rwanda but grew up in exile in Uganda after his family fled ethnic persecution against Tutsi. As a young man, he joined Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Army (NRA) in Uganda and played a major role in the Ugandan Bush War (1981–1986). Because of his military skill and leadership, he rose quickly through the ranks and became one of the youngest generals in Uganda’s army.

Despite his success in Uganda, Rwigema remained committed to the cause of Rwandan refugees who were denied the right to return home. In October 1990, he became the leader of the RPF armed struggle, which aimed to secure the right of return for refugees and bring political change to Rwanda.

On 1 October 1990, the RPF launched its armed liberation struggle. Fred Rwigema was killed on the frontline the very next day, on 2 October 1990, at the beginning of the war. His death was a major blow to the movement, but the struggle continued under new leadership.

In recognition of his supreme sacrifice and national importance, Major General Fred Rwigema is honored in Rwanda’s highest hero category, Imanzi, alongside the Unknown Soldier. Today, he is remembered as a symbol of courage, patriotism, and dedication to Rwanda’s liberation

1. IMANZI HEROES – Major General Fred Gisa Rwigema and unknown soldiers

Imanzi heroes are Rwanda’s ultimate symbols of sacrifice and service, inspiring generations to come!

• Imanzi heroes are the highest category of national heroes, honored for their supreme sacrifice, exceptional contributions, and exemplary service to the nation.
  Supreme Heroism: Achievements of great importance to Rwanda
  • Ultimate Sacrifice: Many gave their lives for the country
  • Exemplary Conduct: Role models in patriotism, courage, and dedication
  • The Unknown Soldier – Represents all who died defending Rwanda
  • Major General Fred Rwigema – Killed on the frontline after the liberation war began in October 1990

Father’s Gisa: Anastasie (Anastasi) Kimonyo
Mother’s Gisa: Gatarina (Gatarina Mukandilima)
Fred and his family fled Rwanda during the 1959 upheavals and lived in exile in Uganda.

Wife’s Gisa: Jeannette (Janet) Urujeni Rwigema (also sometimes called Jeannette Birasa)
Married on 20 June 1987

Children:
• Eric Gisa (Junior) Rwigema
• Teta Gisa Rwigema
Born before Fred’s death in 1990

2. The Imena category Heroes

Imena heroes are celebrated for their outstanding service and acts of sacrifice that shaped Rwanda’s history.

The Imena Category in Rwanda refers to the second level of national heroes, recognized for their extraordinary contributions, sacrifice, and exemplary service to the nation.

Extraordinary Acts: They are honored for actions that had a significant impact on Rwanda.

Sacrifice: Their efforts often involved personal risk or loss.

Exemplary Conduct: They serve as role models for patriotism, courage, and dedication.

The Imena category recognizes individuals who made extraordinary contributions to Rwanda through acts of sacrifice and leadership. These include King Mutara III Rudahigwa, Michel Rwagasana, and Agathe Uwilingiyimana, Felicite Niyitegeka and the Nyange Secondary School students. 

The Ingenzi category is reserved for living heroes who are recognized for their innovative ideas or remarkable achievements. Unlike other categories, their identities remain confidential.

National Heroes Day is observed through discussions and educational programs in villages and media, focusing on teaching young people to follow the heroes’ example.

King Mutara III Rudahigwa – Rwanda’s Imena Hero

Born in 1911, King Mutara III Rudahigwa ruled Rwanda from 1931 to 1959. He is remembered for his extraordinary leadership, social reforms, and dedication to modernizing the nation.

• Highlights of his legacy:
• First Rwandan king to convert to Catholicism
• Abolished the ubuhake system and promoted equality
• Supported education and infrastructure development
• Advocated for Rwanda’s autonomy from colonial rule

He died suddenly in 1959, leaving a lasting legacy as an Imena hero, inspiring generations with his courage, vision, and patriotism.

Michel Rwagasana- Rwanda’s Imena Hero

Michel Rwagasana was a Rwandan political leader and national hero, serving as special adviser to King Mutara III Rudahigwa and later as a prominent member of the Rwandese Democratic Party (PDR). Known for his courage, integrity, and dedication to democracy, unity, and justice, he worked tirelessly for Rwanda’s progress. Rwagasana was assassinated in April 1994 at the start of the genocide against the Tutsi, and he is honored in the Imena category of national heroes for his extraordinary contributions and ultimate sacrifice for the nation.

Michel Rwagasana was  born in 1927 in Ruhango District, Southern Province. He studied at Groupe Scolaire Astrida in Butare, where he earned a diploma in administration, and later worked in the Belgian colonial administration before becoming personal secretary to King Mutara III Rudahigwa. In 1957 he married Suzana Nzayire, and they were blessed with four children, though he never saw his youngest child because his wife was three months pregnant when he was killed. A staunch advocate for unity, independence, and opposition to ethnic divisionism, Rwagasana co‑founded the Union Nationale Rwandaise (UNAR) political party and served as its Secretary General. He was executed in 1963 for refusing to embrace divisive politics and is honored as an Imena national hero for his extraordinary service and sacrifice to Rwanda.

Agathe Uwilingiyimana, Rwanda’s Imena Hero

Agathe

Uwilingiyimana was a Rwandan political leader and national hero, honored in the Imena category for her extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and service to the nation. Born on 23 May 1953 in Mbare Commune, Gitarama Prefecture, Rwanda, she became Rwanda’s first female Prime Minister, serving from July 1993 until her death in April 1994. Agathe was a strong advocate for education, democracy, and national unity, working tirelessly to bridge divisions in a deeply polarized country. Tragically, she was assassinated on 7 April 1994, just hours after the Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi began, as part of coordinated killings targeting moderate leaders and those who opposed extremist forces. She is remembered as a symbol of courage and integrity, representing the ultimate sacrifice for Rwanda’s peace, democracy, and protection of its citizens. Honored as an Imena hero, her exceptional leadership and bravery continue to inspire generations of Rwandans, especially women in leadership.

Agathe Uwilingiyimana was married to Ignace Barahira in 1976, and the couple were blessed with five children — four boys and a girl — although her youngest child was only about three years old when she and her husband were assassinated during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.   Michel Umuhire (fourth child) and Irenee Barahira (first born)

 Raised by farming parents, she excelled in her studies, attending Lycée Notre Dame des Cîteaux, where she earned her secondary certificate in mathematics and chemistry. She later pursued higher education at the National University of Rwanda, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1985 and went on to teach chemistry at the university and other schools.

Agathe Uwilingiyimana was an accomplished scholar who excelled in her studies from a young age. She attended primary school in her home region and later enrolled at Lycée Notre Dame des Cîteaux, where she obtained her secondary school certificate with a focus on mathematics and chemistry. She then pursued higher education at the National University of Rwanda, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in the 1970s. Following her graduation, she worked as a teacher and education professional, teaching chemistry at the university and in Rwandan secondary schools before entering politics.

What about her position in politics ?

Agathe Uwilingiyimana was a pioneering Rwandan political leader and the country’s first female Prime Minister, serving from July 1993 until her assassination in April 1994. Prior to that, she served as Minister of Education, where she worked on reforms to improve access to education. She was also an active member of the Mouvement Démocratique Républicain (MDR), advocating for national unity, democracy, and moderation in politics. Her leadership placed her at the center of Rwanda’s transitional government during a very turbulent period, and her unwavering commitment to democracy, education, and national reconciliation made her a symbol of courage, integrity, and service to the nation, which is why she is honored as an Imena hero.

• Prime Minister of Rwanda (July 1993 – April 1994) – She became Rwanda’s first female Prime Minister, leading the transitional government during a very turbulent period.
• Minister of Education – Before becoming Prime Minister, she served as Minister of Education, focusing on reforms and improving access to education.
• Member of the Republican Democratic Movement (MDR) – She was a prominent member of this political party, advocating for national unity, democracy, and moderation in politics.

Her political career was marked by a commitment to democracy, education, and national reconciliation, making her a leading figure and role model in Rwanda until her assassination in April 1994.

Her political positions placed her at the center of Rwanda’s transitional government, and her leadership during a period of extreme tension made her a symbol of courage, integrity, and service to the nation, which is why she is honored as an Imena hero.

Félicité Niyitegeka

Félicité Niyitegeka was a Rwandan Imena hero — one of the nation’s recognized heroes honored for extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and example during one of the darkest periods in the country’s history.

Born in 1934 to Simon Sekabwa and Angelina Nyirampabuka, Niyitegeka was a devoted Catholic sister who led Centre Saint Pierre in Gisenyi (now Rubavu District) under the Nyundo Diocese. During the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, she refused to abandon the Tutsi refugees who had taken shelter in the centre despite repeated warnings from her own brother — a senior army officer — to separate from them for her own safety.

By the time armed militias arrived, there were over 40 Tutsi refugees under her protection. Instead of fleeing, she chose to stay with those she was protecting and died alongside them on 21 April 1994.

For her selfless defiance and ultimate sacrifice — choosing to share the fate of those she defended rather than save her own life — Félicité Niyitegeka is honored as an Imena national hero, and her home in Gisenyi has been preserved as a Heritage of Humanity mausoleum to inspire unity, courage, and compassion.

She attended primary and secondary school — including Save School — where peers remembered her as disciplined, compassionate, and academically capable. After completing her schooling, she joined the Auxiliaries of the Apostolate, a Catholic lay order, embracing a life of service and eventually becoming a nun dedicated to education and charity work.

During her studies and early career, she was known for her grace, kindness, and strong sense of duty, and she worked as a teacher and accountant before later leading the Centre Saint Pierre under the Nyundo Catholic Diocese, where she helped educate and support many in the community.

She is remembered for her unwavering compassion, selflessness, and bravery, especially during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, when she refused to abandon the Tutsis seeking refuge at Centre Saint Pierre — choosing instead to die with them. For this extraordinary sacrifice and service, she was posthumously honored as an Imena national hero

Nyange Secondary School Students – Imena Heroe

The students of Nyange Secondary School in Ngororero District, Western Rwanda are honored as Imena heroes for their extraordinary courage and sacrifice.

On the night of 18 March 1997, three years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi had ended, remnants of genocide perpetrators — known locally as “Abacengezi” — attacked Nyange Secondary School. They ordered the students in Senior Five and Six to separate into Hutu and Tutsi groups. The students refused, boldly declaring “we are all Rwandans” and rejecting ethnic divisions even under threat of death.

1. As a result of their refusal to separate, the attackers threw grenades and opened fire. Six students were killed instantly, two died later from their injuries, and many others were seriously wounded. The students who were killed include:
2. Sylvestre Bizimana
3. Marie Chantal Mujawamahoro
4. Beatrice Mukambaraga
5. Seraphine Mukarutwaza
6. Helene Benimana
7. Valens Ndemeye

Their bravery and unity despite mortal danger exemplify the highest ideals of national sacrifice and solidarity.

Because of their selfless stand against divisionism and commitment to Rwandan unity, these students are officially recognized as Imena National Heroes — symbolic examples for all Rwandans and especially the youth.

3. Ingenzi Heroes

Ingenzi Heroes are a category of Rwandan national heroes who are still alive but have made outstanding contributions or achievements for the nation. They are recognized for their sacrifice, great importance, and exemplary conduct, serving as role models for the Rwandan people, especially the youth. Unlike the Imanzi and Imena categories, the list of Ingenzi heroes is not publicly published, but they are celebrated for their leadership, innovative ideas, and lasting impact on the country’s development.

• Heroes who are still alive but have made outstanding achievements or contributions with great importance and exemplary conduct.
• Their list is usually not publicly published, but they are celebrated for ideas, leadership, and service that inspire the nation.

Ingenzi Heroes are Rwandans still alive who have made outstanding contributions to the nation. They inspire through courage, integrity, and leadership, serving as role models for the youth.

 Heroes Day –Dr.Havugimana Alexis :

1. “Heroes are not born; they are made by courage, choice, and sacrifice.”
2. “True heroes inspire others to rise, even when the path is hard.”
3. “Sacrifice today shapes a brighter tomorrow for the nation.”
4. “The legacy of a hero is measured in lives touched, not titles held.”
5. “Courage is the spark that lights the way for generations to come.”
6. “A hero sees beyond self and acts for the good of all.”
7. “Bravery is standing tall when fear whispers to run.”
8. “Every small act of service can echo as the heart of a hero.”
9. “Heroes turn challenges into opportunities to serve and inspire.”
10. “The spirit of a hero lives in the courage to protect and uplift others.”
11. “Legends are not made in peace, but in the fire of trials and sacrifice.”
12. “A nation grows stronger when it remembers and honors its heroes.”
13. “Heroism is about integrity, sacrifice, and love for your people.”
14. “True heroes choose unity over division, even when it costs them dearly.”
15. “Their courage writes history; their example shapes the future.”
16. “Heroes remind us that one life dedicated to service can change many lives.”
17. “To honor heroes is to embrace the values they lived by.”
18. “The hero in each of us awakens when we act for the greater good.”
19. “Bravery is contagious — let every act of courage inspire another.”
20. “Heroes may fall, but their spirit lives forever in the hearts of a nation.
21. A hero is someone with courage, integrity, and love, who selflessly protects others and their country, chooses to do good even when wrong is easier, endures challenges with a resilient heart, and always stands by their principles while caring for humanity.
    — Dr. Havugimana Alexis