The purpose of this article is to question the notion of « national hero » officially emphasized in Rwanda. What is its meaning ? Does it allow to build bridges between communities that are most often separated since the genocide ? The analysis of the strengths and the limitations of this politics of memory is divided into two parts. First, it focuses on the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the genocide and on the evolution of the notion of « national hero ». Second, the article examines the articulation between this official emphasis and the reactions of the population. Beyond this issue, the very notion of national memory is called into question.