Mwulire is one of the sectors in Rwamagana District where thousands were killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Though it had offered refuge to those fleeing violence, Mwulire later became a site of mass killings, while also standing as a place where those who sought safety resisted. This was highlighted on Saturday, April 18, during the 32nd commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, where government officials, residents, and survivors gathered at the Mwulire Genocide Memorial. ALSO READ: ‘We refused to wait for death’: Inside Mwulire’s stand in 1994 In April 1994, thousands of Tutsi fleeing killings in what were then Bicumbi, Gikoro, and Rutonde communes sought refuge on Mwulire hill, hoping its elevation would offer safety. Instead, it became a battleground. Faced with relentless attacks from Interahamwe militias, communal police, and government soldiers, the refugees did not surrender easily. Under the leadership of a young man, Guido Karenzi, and a young woman called Kirabirwa, they organized themselves and fought back. Using stones and traditional weapons, they resisted for days, holding off attackers who were armed with guns. Survivors say the resistance lasted for over a week, with some accounts suggesting it stretched even longer, until the attackers escalated their assault. Karenzi, who had also fled to Mwulire, quickly emerged as a leader among the displaced . Survivors recall how he brought order to the chaotic situation, grouping people based on age and strength, assigning roles, and coordinating defense efforts across the hill. ALSO READ: Surrounded and outnumbered: Why resistance failed during the genocide Muhoza Theogene, who was 13 at the time, remembers being among those tasked with carrying stones. “Guido organized us based on our strength and age. For days, we did everything we could to fight the Interahamwe. We only lost hope after he died.” Women and children played a crucial role, ferrying stones to the men on the front lines, ensuring the resistance did not collapse under pressure. Another survivor, Jean de Dieu Gatamba, described Karenzi as both strategic and fearless. He was among those who were organized into groups to fight off the attacks. “There was a team guarding against militias coming from Gishari, another watching those from Munyaga,. There was a group for every direction. He moved around checking that all teams were active. He fought with determination. He was truly a courageous man.” For days, the defenders managed to repel repeated attacks. Survivors say their unity and coordination delayed the killers, giving many a chance to survive. Some believe that without leaders like Karenzi and Kirabirwa, far fewer people would have made it out alive. However, the resistance could not last forever. On April 18, 1994, Karenzi was shot dead. His death marked a turning point. “He was shot dead, and after he fell, we lost all hope,” another survivor recalled. “That is when many people were killed.” Soon after, soldiers from the Kanombe military barracks joined the assault, using heavy weapons against the civilians on the hill. Tens of thousands were killed. Speaking during the commemoration, the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Consolee Uwimana, said the events at Mwulire reflect both the brutality of the Genocide and the strength of those who endured it. “This place holds a unique history where Tutsi attempted to defend themselves against the Interahamwe, communal police, and government soldiers, who killed innocent people, including women and children,” she said. The minister noted that the organized nature of the attacks revealed the extent to which the Genocide had been planned, with a clear intent to exterminate the Tutsi. “We sincerely thank the survivors for the resilience and courage you demonstrated, not allowing yourselves to be consumed by grief, but choosing to rebuild your lives and our country. You proved that life is possible even after such a painful history.”
