Tech firms commit to use ICT to fight genocide ideology
Friday, June 22, 2018
Clement Uwajeneza, Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Online and members of ICT Chamber lay wreaths at Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre yesterday. Frederic Byumvuhore.

Several players within the country’s ICT sector have committed to use their skills to fight genocide ideology as well as rebuilding the country.

Members of ICT Chamber in the Private Sector Federation made the commitment on Thursday while visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi to pay tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The event was organised by the chamber in partnership with National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC).

Among the players in the ICT sector, majority are youth and the event was a good time to explain to them more about the history of the country from the preparation of the genocide, its execution and the aftermath.

After laying the wreath on the mass graves where nearly 200,000 Genocide victims are laid to rest, the youth were challenged to use their potential to rebuild the country.

Addressing the youth, Bishop John Rucyahana NURC the president said that country’s liberators were nurtured with a revolutionary and patriotic mindset, much as many lived in exile.

Rucyahana challenged them to play their role to ensure the gains achieved by those who stopped the Genocide and liberated the country are sustained.

"There are these social ills like drugs that are killing our youth; this should not be accepted, you should take charge of the nation’s transformation journey and you cannot do that if you indulge in drugs,” he said.

He encouraged them to emulate those that liberated the country, specifically challenging them to use ICT skills to tell the world the history and success stories of the country.

Clement Uwajeneza, Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Online, said tech firms have been delivering services to ensure information about the past and current of Rwanda is well accessed, but added that much more can be done.

"Rwanda had its history. We have to recount to the world using technology. Inaccurate information has been spread through social platforms and it is our task to innovate ways through which accurate information can be disseminated and widely,” he said.

Uwajeneza added that the firms will keep on developing more platforms to archive history, testimonies and progress of the country to show the world how far the country has gone despite the dark past.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw