After leaving Mashyiga Rocks, I made my way to a place known as Ibiti Bitanu (Five Trees). According to legend, these trees mark the geographic center of Rwanda. After visiting all corners of the country, it felt good to be back to the navel of the remarkable destination.
The branches of the five trees stretch outward, embracing all directions of the nation. Their shade forms a quiet refuge where visitors pause to reflect. For many, being here carries the feeling of standing at Rwanda’s very heart, a place where myth, geography, and community converge.
It was here that I met Patrice Mukiga, a 95-year-old man often described as a “walking library.” Our conversation unfolded in the cool shade of the five trees, whose history stretches back to the early days of Belgian colonial occupation. I asked him, “Are these five trees at the center of the country?” He cleared his throat and replied thoughtfully, “Legend suggests so, but I am not in a position to prove that.”
Mzee Mukiga has lived through nearly a century of Rwanda’s history. Born during the reign of King Yuhi V Musinga, he witnessed the rise and fall of King Mutara III Rudahigwa and the introduction of Christianity. He experienced the manipulation of local power structures, the imposition of colonial authority, and the devastating consequences of division and hate. Yet, through all the trials, he learned that truth, reconciliation, and unity could restore far more than mere order.
At his age, his body may be frail, but his memory remains sharp. Sitting there under the symbolic five trees, he shared stories and reflections that made the past come alive. Having survived the darkest periods of Rwanda’s history, he now carries a profound appreciation for the situation that many of us take for granted. “This is the Rwanda I have always dreamed of,” he told me, his words lingering in the warm, tranquil air.
Plans are underway to preserve the site and provide visitors with more contextual information. In the meantime, Mukiga remains the most credible source of knowledge, a living bridge between history, culture, and the present. Spending time with him, I felt the weight of nearly a century of Rwandan history resting in his words. His stories, memories, and reflections transformed the shade of those five trees into a classroom.