Players, survivors, government officials and members of Rwanda’s golfing community gathered at Kigali Golf Resort & Villas on Friday, May 9, for the 32nd commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The event combined remembrance with sport through the Genocide Memorial Tournament, organised to honour victims of the genocide. Held at Kigali Golf Resort & Villas, it brought together representatives from the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), Rwanda Golf Union, survivors, golfers, and staff and management of Kigali Golf Resort & Villas.

Speakers focused on remembrance, unity and the responsibility of younger generations to fight genocide ideology.

Survivor recounts fear, displacement and survival

The event also featured testimony from survivor Denis Karasira, who recounted surviving the killings at the former ETO Kicukiro and Nyanza ya Kicukiro.

Karasira, now 74, described years of fear and persecution that preceded the Genocide, beginning with the outbreak of the liberation struggle on October 1, 1990.

"We had developed survival strategies long before the Genocide started,” Karasira said. "In my family, we slept in corridors because we feared attacks through windows. My wife and I would alternate sleeping because we always feared something could happen during the night.”

He recalled fleeing with his family to ETO Kicukiro, where United Nations peacekeepers were stationed, hoping for protection before they were later abandoned.

The journey, though less than a kilometre from his home, took nearly two hours as they moved cautiously through bushes and banana plantations while avoiding militias.

"It was raining heavily that month,” he recalled. "That rain saved me because every time the killers looked for shelter, we used that moment to move.”

Karasira described overcrowded conditions at ETO Kicukiro in Nyanza, where thousands of Tutsi had gathered seeking refuge. He is among the 97 survivors from the area, where thousands had sought safety after being promised protection by Interahamwe militias during the Genocide.

Officials warn against divisionism and Genocide ideology

Speaking during the commemoration, Emmanuel Hakizimana, a researcher and analyst at MINUBUMWE, said the Genocide against the Tutsi was the result of years of divisionism and organised violence rooted in colonial policies and extremist politics.

"This commemoration serves as a profound period of national reflection,” Hakizimana said. "It is a sacred time to honour more than one million lives lost, support survivors and educate future generations about the dangers of divisionism.”

He noted that Rwanda’s pre-colonial society had been united through shared culture and language before colonial powers institutionalised ethnic divisions through identity cards and discriminatory governance systems.

"The Genocide did not start in April 1994,” he said. "What happened in 1994 was the culmination of a long-standing and premeditated plan for mass murder.”

Hakizimana also highlighted the role of youth and sports communities in promoting unity and rejecting hate ideology.

"In this ongoing journey of healing and prevention, the sporting community holds an important role,” he said. "Golf is built on integrity, discipline and mutual respect, values that stand completely against division and hatred.”

RDF links liberation struggle to unity and national values

Representing the RDF, Colonel Desire Migambi spoke about the historical roots of divisionism and the values that guided the liberation struggle led by the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi).

"Rwanda was once a united society sharing the same culture, governance and identity before colonial policies introduced divisions among Rwandans,” Migambi said.

He said the liberation struggle launched in October 1990 sought to restore unity, dignity and equal rights for all Rwandans.

"The aim of the struggle was to liberate Rwanda from bad governance and build a country that belongs to all Rwandans, not just one section of society,” he said.

Migambi said the liberation struggle was shaped by values of discipline, patriotism, integrity, sacrifice and bravery, which later helped stop the genocide and rebuild the country.

Drawing parallels between sports and national values, he added: "The values of golf strongly relate to the values we uphold in RDF. Sports can help shape responsible citizens and strengthen unity.”

Golf community emphasises remembrance and responsibility

Claire Kayitesi, the Deputy General Manager of (Rwanda Ultimate Golf Course (RUGC) / Kigali Golf Resort & Villas, said the memorial tournament was organised not only as a sporting activity but also as a reminder of the responsibility to preserve unity and remembrance.

"Today we remember more than one million innocent lives lost, not just as numbers, but as fathers, mothers, children and families,” Kayitesi said.

"Even in spaces of sports, we carry a deeper purpose to bring people together, reflect and strengthen the bonds that unite us.”

She added: "From the darkness of our past, Rwanda rose with courage, choosing unity over division and rebuilding trust. That has become a legacy we must continue to protect.”

Representing the Rwanda Golf Union, Innocent Rutamu called on young people to actively fight Genocide ideology and safeguard Rwanda’s unity.

"We stand in solidarity with survivors whose courage continues to inspire us every day,” Rutamu said. "The responsibility of protecting our nation now rests in our hands, especially the youth.”

He also stressed the unifying role of sports. "Sports unite people, build character and teach respect,” he said. "These values must guide us both on and off the golf course.”

Winners recognised in Kwibuka 32 Memorial Tournament

The event concluded with the awarding of players who excelled in the Kwibuka 32 Memorial Tournament across different categories.

Diane Mukunde won the Ladies Handicap 19-36 category with 39 points, while Roselyn Munyana claimed the Ladies Handicap 0-18 title with 38 points.

In the seniors category, Innocent Rutamu emerged winner with 35 points. Davis Twahirwa won the Men Handicap 19-28 category with 41 points, while Keith Bunyenyezi claimed victory in the Men Handicap 10-18 category. Darlington Kabatende secured the Men Handicap 0-9 title with 37 points.

Organisers said the tournament symbolised remembrance, resilience and continued commitment to building a peaceful and united society through sport and collective reflection.