Rwandans will on Sunday observe the beginning of Kwibuka 30 (remembrance), commemorating the solemn 30th anniversary of the genocide that commenced on April 7, 1994.
The genocide, which endured for 100 days until the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebels seized control of Kigali in July 1994, resulted in the loss of approximately 800,000 lives, predominantly Tutsis but also moderate Hutus.
Under the leadership of President Paul Kagame, who led the RPF, Rwanda has since embarked on a path of recovery and progress.
As part of the commemoration tradition, President Kagame will light a remembrance flame at the Kigali Genocide Memorial on April 7, the day when militias initiated the carnage in 1994.
The memorial site, believed to be the resting place of over 250,000 victims, will witness the laying of wreaths by dignitaries, including former US President Bill Clinton, who acknowledged the genocide as the greatest failure of his administration.
Throughout the day, public spaces and radio broadcasts will refrain from playing music, while television broadcasts will not feature sports events or movies unless tied to Kwibuka-related programming.
The United Nations and the African Union will also hold remembrance ceremonies in solidarity with Rwanda.
Three decades have passed since the East African nation witnessed the devastating genocide, yet its scars endure under the firm rule of President Kagame. Despite Rwanda’s remarkable reconstruction efforts, the traumatic legacy of the genocide continues to haunt the region.
The genocide, one of the darkest episodes since World War II, was orchestrated by Hutu extremists targeting the Tutsi minority. It was triggered by the assassination of Hutu President Juvenal Habyarimana on April 6, 1994, when his plane was shot down over Kigali by Hutu extremists and the Interahamwe militia.
The massacre began the following day and lasted for 100 days, claiming the lives of 800,000 individuals. While the majority were Tutsis, moderate Hutus also fell victim to the violence. Shockingly, some were killed by their own neighbours in a wave of unimaginable brutality.
Victims were mercilessly shot, beaten, or hacked to death, fuelled by virulent anti-Tutsi propaganda disseminated through TV and radio broadcasts. The genocide also saw an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 women subjected to rape, according to UN estimates.
The aftermath of the genocide led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, mainly ethnic Hutus, fearing retaliatory attacks. Many sought refuge in neighbouring countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, with profound and enduring consequences for the region.
Karel Kovanda, a former Czech diplomat who was the first UN ambassador to publicly call the events of 1994 a genocide, nearly a month after the killings began, said the massacres should never be forgotten.
This year’s anniversary marks an important date for Rwanda, according to Phil Clark, professor of international politics at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, who specialises in post-conflict issues.
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