Rwandan President Paul Kagame delivered a fiery and defiant message during Kwibuka 31, the 31st annual commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, declaring that Rwanda will never again succumb to forces that once brought it to the brink of annihilation.
On Monday at the Kigali Genocide Memorial on Sunday, where over 250,000 victims of the genocide lie buried, President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame joined thousands across the country and the diaspora in lighting the Flame of Remembrance and laying wreaths in honour of more than one million lives lost during one of the darkest chapters in human history.
This year’s theme, “Remember – Unite – Renew,” embodies not only the memory of a collective trauma, but the enduring resilience of a people determined never to return to their past.
“What didn’t kill us and finish us 31 years ago, has hardened us,” Kagame said. “And for those who desire to harm us, I assure you, we will not die without a fight like last time.”
Kagame’s reference to “where we came from” is a solemn reminder of the events that began on April 7, 1994, when extremist elements within the Hutu-led government unleashed a systematic and state-sponsored campaign of genocide against the minority Tutsi population.
Some moderate Hutu were also caught in the pogrom and paid for shielding victims or speaking out against the slaughter.
Over the course of 100 days, until July 4, 1994, more than one million men, women, and children were brutally slaughtered. It was a horror the world watched in silence.
Neighbours turned against neighbours. Infants were swung by their legs and smashed against rocks. Women were raped and mutilated. Families were burned alive in their homes.
Some victims were dumped into pit latrines while still breathing. Entire communities were wiped out with machetes, clubs, and other crude weapons in a calculated attempt to erase the Tutsi identity.
The genocide ended when the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), led by then-commander Paul Kagame, stopped the killings and seized control of the country.
But Rwanda was left in ashes—physically, emotionally, and morally.
Today, the story of Rwanda is one of the most remarkable in modern history. From a nation with no functioning institutions, no economy, and a traumatised population, Rwanda has transformed into one of Africa’s most stable and forward-looking countries.
Kigali, once a ghost town filled with blood and rubble, is now widely regarded as the cleanest city on the continent. Rwanda is consistently ranked among the least corrupt nations in Africa and is a rising hub for technology, innovation, and tourism.
This rebirth did not happen overnight. Rwanda’s post-genocide recovery was built on a model of truth-telling, reconciliation, and justice.
Through the community-based Gacaca courts, survivors faced perpetrators—some of whom are now their neighbours. Forgiveness was not imposed, but it was encouraged.
The country adopted a powerful national identity philosophy known as “Ndi Umunyarwanda” — “I am Rwandan” — which eliminated ethnic identifiers and sought to unify the population under a shared identity and purpose.
“To Rwandans, I beg you, don’t owe your life to anybody else,” Kagame urged during his remarks.
“There’s a chance, a significant chance, that if you stand up and fight, you’ll live and you will have lived a dignified life that you deserve.”
Kagame’s defiance was also directed at international actors who have recently escalated pressure on Rwanda over the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo.
The United States, European Union, and several Western governments have imposed sanctions and cut development aid, accusing Rwanda of backing the M23 rebellion—a Tutsi-led group that has seized large swathes of North and South Kivu, including the capitals Goma and Bukavu.
Kigali maintains its innocence, arguing that the international community has consistently ignored the threat of the FDLR, a militia comprised of remnants of the genocidal forces that fled to DR Congo in 1994 and continue to operate with impunity.
“If these allegations were true, Rwanda would be as rich as you are,” Kagame said, dismissing claims that Rwanda is looting Congo’s minerals.
In response to mounting political hostility, Rwanda has severed diplomatic ties with Belgium and expelled its envoys over what it described as bias and hypocrisy in the handling of the DR Congo crisis.
“We are not afraid of any sanctions,” Kagame declared. “And I will tell anybody to their face to go to hell.”
Kagame warned that Rwanda is no longer the broken nation it once was and that it will not allow its sovereignty to be toyed with.
“Rwandans should be itching for a fight with anyone who wants to come here and turn things upside down. To our friends and partners, don’t misunderstand us, don’t mistreat us. We have had enough.”
While Rwanda continues to welcome international cooperation, Kagame made clear that such engagement must be built on mutual respect, not coercion or paternalism.
“For my sanity and the country’s sanity, we just try to do things differently. If you want to be helpful, to be partners, we are happy to play our part—and you can be sure you’ll find a reliable partner in us.”
The President’s remarks extended to all Africans enduring marginalization and indignity.
“My message goes to other Africans who live [in fear] every single day, who are dehumanized and accept it, and they beg. I can't beg anybody to live. We will fight.”
“If I lose, I lose. But there is a significant chance that if you stand up and fight, you will live and live a dignified life that you deserve.”
As the Flame of Remembrance continues to burn over the next 100 days, Rwanda stands as a testament to what is possible when a country refuses to be defined by its worst moment.
“If you want to see us where we came from,” Kagame said, “I want to assure you that you will not succeed.”