Roland van Wijnen, the CEO of Pretoria Portland Cement Group (PPC), and James Oduor, CIMERWA PPC CEO, accompanied by Rizah Rose Mugabe, Head of Supply Chain, on Tuesday, April 18, visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial to honour the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
CIMERWA is a member of Pretoria Portland Cement Company Limited (PPC Ltd), a leading supplier of cement, lime and related products in southern Africa while PPC has 11 cement factories and a lime manufacturing facility in six African countries including South Africa, Botswana, Ethiopia and Rwanda.
The CEOs laid wreaths at the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi. Their visit to the Memorial followed a commemoration event that was held, on Sunday, April 16, at the CIMERWA plant in Rusizi district.
During the commemoration in Rusizi, the staff of CIMERWA, genocide survivors, community members and friends living around CIMERWA’s plant as well as government officials remembered 58 former employees and laid wreaths onto the waters of River Rubyiro where most victims of the genocide in the area were dumped by Interahamwe militia during the genocide.
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After visiting Kigali Genocide Memorial, the CEO of Pretoria Portland Cement Group (PPC) said: "It is important that we remember what happened. It touches you emotionally. It makes you reflect on the things that happened. It is important to reflect on what has happened and learn from that so that as humanity we never see this happen anywhere in the world.”
He said that the company often has an opportunity to visit the memorial sites during the commemoration period to learn from genocide history.
"In any environment where you operate, always remember where you come from and pay tribute to genocide victims to make sure that as you go forward, you will never forget what happened in the past,” he said.
Pretoria Portland Cement Group (PPC), and CIMERWA PPC committed to strive to create a workplace that is inclusive, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect contrary to the leadership before the 1994 genocide.
"CIMERWA is part of the fabric of rebuilding Rwanda of now and the future. It is always a pleasure to be in Rwanda. My stays are never long enough. It is a beautiful country that is redeveloping and has very many things to be proud of. We learned a lot over the past, it is now 29 years and Rwanda demonstrated how one can also evolve in a positive sense,” he noted.
Speaking earlier while remembering 58 former employees of CIMERWA, Oduor said: "At CIMERWA, we are committed to upholding these values in everything we do. We strive to create a workplace that is inclusive, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
"We firmly believe that it is our collective responsibility to remember the lessons of the past, honour the victims of violence, and work towards a more just and peaceful future for all. Today, we stand in solidarity with the people of Rwanda and extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”