It was a day of pomp and colour as Rwandans descended on the newly refurbished Amahoro Stadium to celebrate 30 years after the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) stopped the Genocide against the Tutsi and liberated the country from the genocide government on July 4,1994, bringing to an end 100 days of massacres that began on April 7 the same year.
If there was anything to describe the progress and transformation Rwanda has undergone over the past three decades, it was the newly refurbished 45,000 seater state-of-the-art facility which was officially inaugurated on July 1 by President Paul Kagame and Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, Dr. Patrice Motsepe.
While July 1 is the day Rwanda is supposed to celebrate Independence, which was attained from Belgium on July 1, 1962, it also marked the beginning of Rwanda’s disintegration, fueled by ethnic divisions propagated by the colonialists, leading to hundreds of thousands of Tutsis fleeing into exile.
Kwibohora 30 is even more symbolic in the sense that it took 30 years for Rwandans in exile to negotiate and organise their return home but post-independence governments were adamant, with President Juvenal Habyarimana often stating that Rwanda was small and full and cannot accommodate people outside.
It took three decades to mobilise and organise- efforts that led to the birth of RPF Inkotanyi, which was comprised of Rwandans in exile in different countries and continents, joined by a common cause, as well as those inside the country, who opposed the injustices that were going on at the time and dreamed of a Rwanda for all.
After all efforts failed, RPF Inkotanyi picked up arms and launched a liberation struggle on October 1, 1990, led by Maj. Gen Fred Rwigema, who was unfortunately killed at the beginning of the war, before Maj. Gen Paul Kagame, who was in the U.S at the time pursuing his military studies, came back to take up the mantle.
Further negotiations did not yield any results as President Habyarimana’s government continued to derail the Arusha peace talks, until he was killed on April 6, after his plane was shot down by Hutu extremists who were against a unity government, marking the beginning of the genocide.
The same Amahoro Stadium is one of the places where horrendous massacres happened in 1994 after many Tutsis sought refuge in the facility, which was under the watch of the United Nations Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR), with the hope that they could be protected.
Men, women and children camped inside the stadium and within its environs with the hope of surviving the massacres, but the UN forces informed them that they had no mandate to use arms to protect them, a loophole which gave the then government forces FAR and Interahamwe militia the lee way to attack the helpless civilians seeking refuge in Amahoro Stadium.
It was shelled with mortars and grenades were often lobbed inside the facility, killing many who were seeking refuge there. A repugnant smell of dead bodies and gunpowder, lingered in the area around the stadium for the 100 days while the Migina area became home to dogs which fed on the bodies of people killed within the area.
Yet 30-years the newly refurbished stadium is not only a symbol of the progress Rwanda has registered over the past three decades but is also proof of how Rwandans have put behind the divisions that pitted them against each other and became one. As they entered through the gates, none had to show an identity card with ‘Hutu’, ‘Tutsi’ or ‘Twa’.
Apollinaire Munyandinda, 75, who lived in the area since 1983, is one of the many who were in the stadium for Kwibohora 30 and he could not be more thankful as he cheered on from the stands, as the country’s armed forces matched onto the main field for the day’s festivities.
“I am grateful. I feel great being in this brand new stadium. For me everything is new, look around, this is not the old stadium we knew. The atmosphere is different but also, if you were here in July 1994 and you are here in July 2024, you wouldn’t find the right words to describe the difference,” he said.
The sound of citizens singing along and cheering reverberated across the stadium as different musicians took up the stage, from Senderi to Butera Knowless, Ruti Joel and many others. It was a party. The celebration mood could be felt in the air.
Befittingly, the performers of the day were the men and women in uniform, who attracted wild cheers as they made their way to the turf for the celebratory parade.
Led by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and Rwanda National Police (RNP) brass bands, the parade, which was commanded by Brig. Gen Frank Mutembe, was a major part of the festivities. As he shouted orders in Kinyarwanda, the crowd roared in approval. Previously, the parade orders came in English, French or Kiswahili.
Wild cheers filled the stadium as the military police rolled in with the national flag, which they handed over to the parade commander, ahead of the arrival of the Head of State.
President Kagame and the First Lady, Jeannette Kagame arrived to thunderous cheers of “Ni wowe, ni wowe” (you are the one), as he proceeded to inspect the parade which was composed of 9 RDF units and 3 RNP units.
In his speech, President Kagame said that Rwandans today are better and stronger than they have ever been, adding that regardless of the challenges, Rwandans keep marching forward, like the men and women of the defence and security forces, who made up the parade.
He also reflected on the history of Amahoro Stadium, in reference to the history of the facility which was a hotspot of killings during the genocide against the Tutsi.
“Three decades ago, this building was the site of refuge and rescue. From the surrounding neighbourhoods, Rwandans flowed here for safety. And many were saved, thanks to the Rwandan Patriotic Army, an act that was repeated countless times, all across our country,” he said.
An army for the people
The Head of State used the opportunity to pay tribute to those who liberated Rwanda, and also remembered those who gave their lives for the cause. He also talked about how Rwanda has gone on to build strong and professional forces which are respected by the masses.
“Our army and security forces are a powerful symbol of unity and safety. In opinion surveys ranking trust in public institutions, Rwandans consistently rate our security forces among the highest. That is no accident,”
“After the genocide, the first encounter that most Rwandans had with the new authorities, was with our army. The situation in the country was still extremely tense and dangerous. Yet, our forces did everything in their power to treat all Rwandans with professionalism and humanity, setting the tone of everything that followed,” President Kagame said.
He pointed out that even today, they remain close to the community, and invest in projects that matter to national development, such as infrastructure and medical services.
“This pact of trust, which we call ‘igihango’, is indeed the solid foundation upon which our country was rebuilt. It was not easy. Remaining principled and consistent is hard, very difficult. But that product of doing hard things is absolutely beautiful,” President Kagame said.
“By nature, Rwanda’s security posture has always been defensive, not offensive. We only act when trouble is brought on us. We prioritize cooperation and working together. Rwanda seeks peace, for ourselves and for everyone in our region. We know the value of peace, just as well as anyone else, maybe even more,” he added.
President Kagame said that where there is a need for humanitarian action, Rwanda will not be absent, he said in reference to some of the situations in the region.
He added however that the only real answer to any humanitarian crisis is to fix the root cause of the political problem because humanitarian response cannot substitute for political solutions.
Reflecting on Rwanda’s history, he said that if they had not changed the formula, the country would still be under a United Nations peacekeeping force, divided and destitute, even today.
“Liberation cannot be imposed on people by force or fear. It is unlocked by a free choice that each citizen makes in their heart. Because Rwandans, with very few exceptions, have freely made this choice, our country is at peace, and will remain at peace, no matter what,” President Kagame declared.
A message to critics
President Kagame had a message for those who criticize the country for whatever reason, emphasising that Rwanda’s uniqueness only grows more notable with time and that the country has shattered every negative taboo and assumption about being Rwandan.
“Our politics today is based on accountability and ambition. It is a way for all Rwandans to lead a better life. Politics is no longer a tool to exclude and harm each other. We respect our government, but we do not fear it, because it serves
all of us without distinction,”
“A few people outside still do not understand Rwandans. Some of them even try to spoil what we are building, and we see it.
But all those negative efforts produce no results. They are just words on the internet, or statements somewhere from different high offices, with no power over us at all,” he remarked.
The Head of State said that the values Rwandans have today have become solid and there is nobody and nothing powerful enough to take that away from them.
“The endpoint of the liberation struggle was to build a state in which each of us is valued, and citizens are always at the center of government action. Even though Rwandans have made huge strides towards this mindset, we must remain vigilant,” he said, particularly telling young Rwandans.
“I am addressing this message in particular to Rwanda’s young people, especially those born over the last thirty years. This country is yours to protect, defend, and make prosperous. It is worth repeating that real liberation only begins when the guns fall silent,”
“We began that stage thirty years ago, and we are counting on you, the liberation generation, to take us further. Rwanda’s struggle today has a bigger scope than just surviving. It is about living well, with success. Succeeding against poverty, dependence, and indignity,”
President Kagame reiterated that Rwanda seeks to succeed as an upright nation of Africans who play their part to
build a better continent and a fairer world, reminding the youth that they have the freedom and the opportunity to live the lives they want but most importantly they should remember their duty to uphold the good politics the country has built.
“Speak up, take part, and give back. Those are the civic values that we want to define the next generation of Rwandans,” he said.