National Liberation Park Museum is set to attract the biggest number of local and international visitors annually, once ongoing upgrades are completed. This was confirmed by officials from the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda (INMR), who said that it is estimated to bring in at least Rwf150m annually. Commonly referred to as U Mulindi w’Intwari, the museum is located in Nyakabungo village of Mulindi cell, Kaniga sector in Gicumbi District. It was for the largest part of the four-year liberation struggle (1990-94) the headquarters of the war that not only liberated the country, but also stopped the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Then Maj. Gen. Paul Kagame was the chairman of the high command of the struggle, when the Mulindi Hill was officially designated the base of the liberation struggle on June 9, 1992. Among the significant features of the museum is an L-Shaped bunker that used to serve as office of the now President Kagame. Robert Masozera, the Director General of the institute, told The New Times that the project to upgrade Mulindi Liberation Museum is the largest project in terms of investment although he didn’t reveal the estimated cost of the upgrades. “The upgrading is in different phases that will have been completed in 2020. We are finalising on the first phase which consists of renovating the existing old house in which liberation operations used to be planned. “We will soon launch phase two that includes the whole circuit of liberation war meaning; how it started, how it was conducted, and after liberation war,” he said. He said that under phase two, there is plan to build exhibition rooms, develop video documentaries related to the liberation war, maps used to guide the liberation, equipment used among other artefacts. “Phase three of the project will entail developing and designing content, inserting it in the museum and return former materials or equipment that used to be in the old structures at the place,” he noted. Masozera said that phase four includes renovating a 5km road leading up to the museum which will be built in collaboration with the Ministry of Infrastructure. The final phase will also include paving the different paths connecting sections of the museum. “This is the only museum that was not yet upgraded and, once completed, it will be the largest in size and the most costly because it has both internal and external features,” he told The New Times. “We estimate that it will attract between 120,000 and 150,000 visitors every year, generating over Rwf150 million,” he said. The institute is revamping museum structures and service packages to be able to double and generate over Rwf400 million in revenues from cultural tourism per annum. Statistics show that at least between 180,000 and 200,000 people visit the eight museums around the country per year while the number was not more than 1,000 before 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi He explained that besides revenues to the museums, the community will also generate income through transporting visitors, other tour services, accommodation services, restaurants, gift shops among others. Murindi Liberation Museum has different parts such as a women’s wing dedicated to the political and military activities of women in the liberation force; commanders’ bunkers that surround the chairman’s; a bunker that was reserved for telecommunication gadgets, as well as the one that worked as a sick bay, where the sick were treated. The museum also includes the ‘Arusha Desk’, where politicians and military leaders would meet for strategy during the peace-talks that were held in the Tanzanian town of Arusha. Nearby, there is a football pitch where APR Football Club was initiated, and a tennis court from where officers used to play. Football, basketball and tennis grounds are also among the features to be upgraded. Masozera said they are working with Rwanda Development Board to come up with different tourism products at and around the museum. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
