Gasabo, Rwanda – April 7, 2025 — President Paul Kagame has firmly declared that the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi will never be repeated, not because threats have vanished, but because Rwandans are prepared to defend their nation at all costs.
Speaking at the launch of Kwibuka 31, the 100-day national commemoration period for the victims and survivors of the genocide, Kagame addressed over 2,000 youth gathered for the Walk to Remember from Gasabo District Headquarters to BK Arena in Kigali. He emphasized that the genocide’s horrors would not be repeated due to Rwanda’s strength and resolve.
“It won’t happen again because there will be people who will stand up and fight,” Kagame stated, directing his message to the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia group based in the DRC. Despite their continued efforts to spread ethnic division, Kagame made it clear that Rwanda is ready to confront any threat.
Kagame also criticized attempts to distort the legacy of the genocide, stating that victims are being falsely portrayed as perpetrators. “There has always been a force attempting to turn victims into perpetrators,” he said.
The commemoration included the lighting of the Flame of Remembrance, survivor testimonies, and moments of silence to honor the over one million lives lost. Kagame emphasized Rwanda’s resilience and unity, urging youth to carry forward the lessons of the past and reject oppression.
In a broader message to the African continent, he declared, “We’ll fight. If I lose, I lose. But there’s a significant chance that if you stand up and fight, you will live a dignified life.”
