Genocide survivors in Mwulire Sector, Rwamagana District are appealing for Rwf1.6 billion to complete a stalled genocide memorial site that honors the memory of more than 27,000 victims.
These victims were killed after spending weeks resisting the Interahamwe militia using only stones. The appeal was made during an event marking the 31st Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi, held on June 25, 2025, at the Mwulire Genocide Memorial Site.
The event was organized by members of the Rwanda Mining Association (RMA), who paid tribute to the victims and offered financial support to survivors.
Mwulire holds the highest number of genocide remains among the 11 memorial sites in the district, with over 80,000 victims buried collectively.
According to survivor Assumpta Uwimana, the Mwulire hills became a final refuge for many Tutsi fleeing massacres in surrounding areas. After two weeks of resistance, they were overwhelmed by government-backed militia, leading to the massacre of at least 15,000 people on Mwulire Hill alone.
Uwimana recounted surviving by pretending to be dead among a heap of corpses, submerged in a pool of blood. She was later rescued by Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) soldiers.
Pastor Théoneste Muzungu highlighted the significance of Mwulire, noting that the number of victims exceeded the local population at the time — a sign of its historical and symbolic importance.
“This site was one of the places visited by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who was so moved by what he saw that he later declared the events in Rwanda as not merely ethnic cleansing, but a genocide against the Tutsi,” Muzungu said.
Rwamagana District Mayor Rajab Mbonyumuvunyi, representing the Governor of Eastern Province, emphasized the urgent need for support to complete the memorial site’s construction, which has stalled due to lack of funding.
Jean Marie Mbwiriyumva, Vice President of IBUKA in Rwamagana District, thanked RMA members for standing with survivors and honoring genocide victims.
He emphasized that through corporate social responsibility, RMA strengthens national efforts to remember the genocide as a means of rebuilding Rwanda with a renewed and resilient spirit.
“We will continue to remember, unite, and renew. As IBUKA, we are committed to working with the mining sector to ensure hope and harmony prevail after the genocide, assuring survivors that such atrocities will never happen again,” Mbwiriyumva said.
RMA Chairman Innocent Kagenga noted that Rwanda’s mining sector employs over 70,000 people and is committed to supporting the government and genocide survivors.
“This is part of our contribution to rebuilding our country. Our goal is to ensure Rwanda remains free of genocide and similar tragedies,” Kagenga said.
He added, “We have strong leadership and national stability thanks to the liberation led by our president. It’s our duty to uphold this vision and make Rwanda a better place.”
Patrick Ntalindwa, advisor to the CEO of Rwanda Mining Board (RMB) and a genocide survivor himself, shared how Mwulire was targeted by militias from across the country. He praised the RPF-Inkotanyi for ending the genocide and emphasized the role miners can play in preserving unity and national progress.
“We must walk in the footsteps of the Inkotanyi — working for Rwanda and its people, with unity as our guiding value,” Ntalindwa said:
“Only through unity can we rebuild this country and honor the generation that was lost. It is our duty to carry forward the legacy of those who sacrificed everything for a better Rwanda.”
