Born on April 10, 1957 in Mukiranze village, Kamonyi District (former Gitarama) in the Southern Province, Maj Gen. Fred Gisa Rwigema died on October 2, 1990, on the second day of the Rwanda Patriotic Army liberation war. Rwigema was the first commander of the liberation front and was killed by enemy fire. He is credited for mobilising Rwandans in exile towards supporting the struggle that was launched after all other options for peaceful repatriation failed to yield any results. His parents were Anastasie Kimonyo and Gatarina Mukandilima. The young Rwigema and his family fled to Uganda and settled in Nshungerezi Refugee Camp in the 1960’s following the 1959 pogroms. In 1974, he went to Tanzania and joined the Front for National Salvation (FRONASA), a rebel group led by Yoweri Museveni. Later in 1976, he travelled to Mozambique and joined the FRELIMO rebels who were fighting for the Mozambican liberation against the Portuguese colonial power. In 1981, 27 soldiers including Rwigema and his childhood friend and current President Paul Kagame, and Museveni, started a liberation struggle against the then regime of Uganda president Milton Obote. Rwigema helped the National Resistance Army (NRA) capture state power in 1986 and was appointed the Ugandan Deputy Minister of Defence. He was regularly at the front line in northern Uganda during the government’s offensive against remnants of the ousted regime. But despite holding all the above posts, he always held Rwanda at heart. Rwigema is remembered for being among those who greatly inspired the Rwandan refugees to liberate their country, and on October 1, 1990, he spearheaded Rwanda’s liberation struggle. He was shot on the frontline on a hill known as Nyabweshongozi in Umutara region. He is survived by a wife – Janet Urujeni Rwigema whom he married on June 20, 1987 – with two children: Junior Gisa and Teta Gisa. 🍿WATCH NEXT: AKAMARO K'IGENABIKORWA N'INGENGABIHE NI AKAHE? :    • ISHURI Podcast #007 : AKAMARO K'IGENA...   KWIGIRA [FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE] NI IKI? :    • ISHURI Podcast #005 : KWIGIRA [FINANC...   ESE UKWIRIYE GUTANGIRA UMUCO WO GUSOMA? :    • ISHURI Podcast #003 : ESE UKWIRIYE GU...   ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ SOCIAL MEDIA Feel free to follow us at the links below: Facebook:   / ishuri.org   Twitter:   / ishuriorg   Instagram:   / ishuriorg   LinkedIn:   / ishuri