October has become a significant month for Rwanda, a time dedicated to contemplating national unity and resilience. The theme chosen for October 2026, “Unity and Resilience: Our Choice,” is particularly insightful. It prompts us not only to acknowledge our accomplishments but also to scrutinise persistent challenges and consider the decisions necessary to foster stronger social cohesion. In observing the television news, radio broadcasts, and newspaper articles detailing the various initiatives organised by Ministry of National Unity & Civic Engagement to commemorate this month, a recurring question has occupied my thoughts. What practical lessons drawn from our recent past can contemporary young Rwandans apply to transform “Unity and Resilience: Our Choice” from an annual theme into a tangible reality? My mind immediately turned to the experiences of the Rwandese Patriotic Front/Army (RPF/A) and its armed struggle for the liberation of Rwanda. This connection is not arbitrary. The armed struggle commenced on October 1, 1990, and concluded four years later with the liberation of Rwanda and the stoppage of the Genocide against the Tutsi by RPF. This endeavour drew participation from thousands of Rwandans from all walks of life, encompassing both youth and elders, men, and women, those who had lived in exile and those who joined the movement from within Rwanda. What united many of them was not merely their diverse backgrounds, but a shared conviction that Rwanda required a fundamentally different political future. A cornerstone of the RPF's eight-point programme was the restoration of national unity among Rwandans. The movement aimed to dismantle the divisive political strategies that had, for decades, pitted Rwandans against each other based on ethnic affiliations. This historical experience offers a crucial lesson for the current generation. Unity begins with prioritising that which unites us over that which divides us. During the struggle, participants were, in essence, comrades united by a common objective. While their individual histories remained significant, they were subsumed within a larger national purpose. The paramount question was not, To which group do you belong? but rather, What are we striving to achieve together? This presents a powerful lesson for Rwanda today. While our current challenges differ from those of 1990, and contemporary young Rwandans navigate an era of social media, rapid technological advancements, economic pressures, political discourse, and a globally interconnected world, the temptation to define individuals by labels rather than their shared humanity persists. We can engage in disagreements regarding politics, policies, and leadership without transforming fellow Rwandans into adversaries. This is where the second lesson—resilience—assumes critical importance. The RPF/A's struggle was fraught with immense difficulties. The untimely death of Major General Fred Rwigema shortly after the October 1990 offensive represented a significant setback. The struggle endured through years of conflict, biting cold and hunger in the bamboo jungles of Virunga National Parking, scotching heat, and thirst in the savanna plains of Akagera National Park, negotiations, and uncertainty, ultimately confronting the horrific reality of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Despite these adverse conditions, the objective of forging a different Rwanda was never abandoned. Therefore, resilience transcends mere endurance of hardship; it embodies the capacity to confront adversity without relinquishing the pursuit of a better future. An additional lesson warrants consideration: unity necessitates intentional choices. The RPF/A's experience illustrates that individuals can overcome differences when they identify a purpose that transcends their personal interests. However, unity cannot be sustained solely by governmental institutions. It must be actively practiced by ordinary citizens—within families, educational institutions, places of worship, workplaces, political organizations, and, in contemporary context, on social media platforms. This is especially pertinent given that contradictions are an inherent aspect of any society. The peril arises when disagreement devolves into personal animosity, characterized by labeling, name-calling, stereotyping, or questioning an individual's belonging based on a divergent opinion. Such behavior should prompt reflection: Are we reinforcing national unity, or are we undermining it? Consequently, the October theme, “Unity and Resilience: Our Choice,” deserves to be interpreted literally. It is indeed a choice. The generation that embarked on the struggle in 1990 made its choices within the circumstances of its era. Today's generation must likewise make its own choices, commensurate with the realities of our time. We should not expect young Rwandans to simply replicate the experiences of their predecessors. However, we can encourage them to study these experiences and extract the enduring principles that remain relevant. The RPF/A's experience offers at least three such principles: a shared national purpose, the repudiation of divisive politics, and perseverance in the face of adversity. The writer is a former journalist.
