Forgive our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Do not listen to Kamegeri, but deliver us from his cruelty.
Once upon a time, King Mibambwe II Sekarongoro Ginasura gathered his advisers and asked them to propose an ideal punishment for those who trespass against the kingdom. Kamegeri, a local chief and a member of the king’s advisory council, suggested burning trespassers alive on a red-hot rock. The king, nicknamed Rugabishabirenge, was taken aback by Kamegeri’s counsel.
Fire inflicts the most excruciating pain imaginable. Burning someone to death is probably the harshest punishment ever. You wouldn’t want to see your worst enemy being roasted like brochette.
King Sekarongoro wasn’t amused. If Kamegeri hoped to impress the king, the plot backfired terribly. At the end of the day, the former was given a taste of his own medicine. The rock on which Kamegeri was burned alive is found in Ruhango District, along the Kigali - Kanyaru highway. The location of the said rock is now a historical site designed to put folklore into perspective.
Standing on the rock named after the 17th Century local chief, whose idea led to his own extremely painful demise, I saw Mutakara hill, the site of the aforementioned king’s royal court.
Ruhango was my 28th sub-destination of the unforgettable 30 Districts Expedition. After a stopover at Kemegeri Rock, I proceeded to La Melise Cafe to conduct a book club session and donate books to young readers living in the area. The session was part of the implementation of the Turning Pages initiative, designed to cultivate the culture of reading and promote sustainable tourism.