Awards

May 08 2026, Distinguished guests, Fellow Rwandans, Friends of justice and freedom, Ladies and gentlemen, Good evening.

I stand before you today on behalf of the Chairman of Rwanda National Congress, Dr. Emmanuel Hakizimana, the leadership of RNC, and the entire RNC family worldwide.

Tonight is not merely a ceremonial event. It is a moment of national reflection. A moment of truth. A moment of conscience.

Tonight, we gather to honor courage.

Not the courage of weapons.
Not the courage of power.
But the courage to speak truth in the face of fear.
The courage to stand alone when silence becomes the safer option.
The courage to defend human dignity even when the price becomes unbearable.

Tonight, Rwanda National Congress officially presents the inaugural Rwanda Bravery Award to the late Aimable Karasira Uzaramba.

Aimable Karasira was not a politician. He did not lead a political party. He did not command an army. He did not possess state power.

He was a teacher.
A thinker.
A genocide survivor.
A citizen who chose to speak openly about pain, injustice, memory, and truth.

And for that, he became dangerous to a system that fears independent voices.

Karasira demonstrated a form of bravery that is rare in our society today. He dared to publicly say what many whisper in private. He dared to challenge fear. He dared to remain intellectually free in an environment where conformity is demanded and dissent is punished.

He spoke not from hatred, but from conviction.

He reminded us that truth does not cease to exist simply because power is uncomfortable with it.

As a survivor of the Genocide against the Tutsi, Karasira carried wounds that no human being should ever carry. Yet even with those wounds, he still found the courage to speak honestly about the suffering of his family and about the painful realities surrounding Rwanda’s history.

Whether one agreed with him or disagreed with him, one undeniable fact remains: Aimable Karasira was courageous.

And courageous people are often feared by authoritarian systems because courage is contagious.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Rwanda Bravery Award was established to honor Rwandans from all walks of life who demonstrate extraordinary moral courage in defending truth, justice, freedom of expression, and human dignity despite persecution, intimidation, imprisonment, or threats to their lives.

This award is not about political affiliation.

It is about principle.

It is about recognizing that a nation cannot heal if truth is criminalized. A society cannot become free if fear governs public life. A people cannot build reconciliation while independent voices are silenced.

Today, by honoring Aimable Karasira, we are affirming something larger than one man.

We are affirming the right of every Rwandan to think freely. To speak freely.

To question freely.
To remember freely.
And to live without fear.

We are saying that courage matters.
We are saying that conscience matters.
We are saying that human dignity matters.

And we are saying that Rwanda belongs to all Rwandans — not only to those who praise power.

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is deeply symbolic that this inaugural award is being received by Dr. David Himbara.

Like Karasira, Dr. Himbara has consistently chosen the difficult path of speaking truth despite pressure, attacks, intimidation, and exile.

His presence here tonight reminds us that ideas cannot be imprisoned forever, and truth cannot be permanently silenced.

History has always shown us that regimes may control institutions, prisons, media, and weapons — but they can never permanently defeat conscience.

That is why tonight is important.

Tonight is not about death.

Tonight is about legacy.

It is about ensuring that courage is remembered, honored, and passed to future generations.

Because nations decline when brave people are forgotten.

And nations rise when courage becomes part of their moral foundation.

To the family, friends, colleagues, and loved ones of Aimable Karasira, we extend our deepest respect and condolences.

To all Rwandans living in fear because of their opinions, beliefs, or convictions, we say this:

You are not alone.

Your voices matter.
Your dignity matters.
Your courage matters.

And history will remember those who stood for truth when silence was easier.

Ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the Chairman of Rwanda National Congress, Dr. Emmanuel Hakizimana, on behalf of the leadership and members of RNC worldwide, it is now my great honor to present the inaugural Rwanda Bravery Award, posthumously, to Aimable Karasira Uzaramba.

May his courage continue to inspire Rwanda.
Thank you very much.