Rwandan President Paul Kagame has directed the Rwanda Development Board, the body charged with promoting tourism, export and investment across all sectors in Rwanda to add naming of Baby Lions to Kwita Izina, an annual gorilla naming ceremony.
“We need to move from just naming gorillas alone to even lions’ cubs. Kwita Izina has created a big impact towards conservation in Rwanda and naming baby lions would be a step further in restoration of what we have recently acquired. That is a responsibility of not only the government but also each and every Rwandan,” he said in Kinyarwanda.
A person modelling in a gorilla suit before the naming ceremony
Kagame gave the directive while officiating at the 12th annual gorilla naming ceremony, KwitaIzina, held at Kinigi, Musanze District in the northern Province of Rwanda on Friday morning.
Kagame noted that the KwitaIzina event has bolstered conservation in Volcanoes National Park, witnessed by the rise the number of Gorillas in the mountains urging that the needs to be done for the lions in Akagera.
President Kagame waves to excited crowds at his arrival
In June 2015, African Parks, an organization that is currently managing Akagera National Park introduced a total of 7 lions to the Eastern Rwanda located park and in a span of one year, they have been able to double their number to 14 as of 2016.
While delivering his address, Aime Bosenibamwe, the governor of the Northern Province lauded the communities around Volcanoes National Park for their contribution in wildlife conservation over the years.
RDB CTO, Belise delivering her speech
He revealed that in the 12 years, 260 baby gorillas have been named, excluding the 22 which were named on Friday.
BeliseKariza, the Chief Tourism Officer at the Rwanda Development Board revealed that as part of government’s tourism revenue sharing scheme, three schools were launched to help the communities around National Parks and also encourage them to continue conserving nature.
The event featured performances from different cultural groups and schools
Gorillas were named by their respective God fathers and God mothers who included locals and foreigners that have contributed to conservation.
Famous local musicians, the Urban boys also took part in the ceremony, naming baby Ukwiyunga from the Kwitonda family.
The Urban boys announcing the name of a baby gorilla
Among other Gorillas named were Ntabisanzwe whose mother survived poaching for a number of years. She lost her foot and her right eye but was able to survive to bear another baby.
Another baby Gorilla Ishungu was born to a very old mother, who had been presumed burren for a long time.
Full list of Gorillas named
Umuhate, Icyemezo, Mafubo, Ntamipaka, Ireme, Ntabisanzwe, Ifatizo, Kwijira, Umuhuza, Kura, Nyampinga, Ishiimwe, Tunganirwa, Ngenwe, Umwiza, Ndizihiwe, Ndiumunyarwanda, Masahami, Ijikombe, Ukwiyunga, Hobe, Ishungu.