Thirty-seven senior military officers from across Africa and Asia, currently attending the Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College (RDF CSC) are on a study tour that retraces Rwanda’s liberation journey
KIGALI – Thirty-seven senior military officers from across Africa and Asia, currently enrolled at the Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College (RDF CSC), have embarked on a study tour retracing Rwanda’s liberation journey. The tour specifically examines the decisive role of the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) in halting the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The visit is a key component of the college’s broader curriculum, which blends academic instruction with field-based learning to provide officers with a deeper, contextual understanding of complex military operations.
Through curated site visits and historical briefings, participants are gaining insight into how disciplined strategy, visionary leadership, and a clear mission catalyzed Rwanda’s transformation. Among the primary stops was the National Heroes Mausoleum, where the officers paid tribute to those whose sacrifice and leadership shaped the nation’s history. The visit offered a profound reflection on the values of patriotism, resilience, and duty—principles that continue to guide Rwanda’s development and national security framework.
The study tour, which commenced a day earlier, is designed to help the officers understand how the RPA conducted its liberation struggle against a backdrop of poor governance and deep social divisions. Furthermore, it provides a closer look at how that campaign ended the Genocide against the Tutsi and restored national unity.
The officers visited the National Heroes Mausoleum, where they paid tribute to individuals whose sacrifice and leadership played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s history.
Prior to visiting the mausoleum, the delegation toured the Campaign Against Genocide Museum, where they received detailed accounts of the RPA’s operations during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The museum presents a factual and sobering narrative of the campaign’s military, humanitarian, and strategic dimensions, emphasizing how civilian protection remained central to the RPA’s mission.
On April 22, the officers also visited the Kagitumba border post, a primary entry point for RPA forces at the onset of the liberation struggle. The site serves as a historic marker of the campaign that ultimately altered the course of Rwanda’s history.
Beyond historical exploration, the tour offers practical lessons in leadership, crisis response, and the ethical responsibility of armed forces. For the visiting officers, Rwanda’s trajectory serves as a definitive case study in how military institutions can foster national recovery and long-term stability. The RDF Command and Staff College continues to attract officers globally, solidifying its reputation as a center for advanced military education grounded in both theory and hard-earned, lived experience.
