Former RPA nurse recalls liberation struggle days at Mulindi

Julienne Mukarubogo joined Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) on October 3, 1990, three days after the RPF military wing launched its first attack. Mukarubogo, who was just under 20 years old, was determined to return to the country her family had fled. With no formal medical training, she would go on to treat wounded soldiers during the liberation struggle, an experience she recalled on Friday, October 23, when she returned to Mulindi, the historic headquarters of the RPA High Command in Gicumbi District. “I was born in 1974, but I claimed to have been born in 1971 so that I would appear old enough to join the military,” said Mukarubogo, a now demobilised sergeant and mother of two. ALSO READ: RPA veterans visit historic Gikoba bunker on liberation trail She was among more than 300 RPA veterans, most of them living with disabilities sustained during the struggle, who visited historic liberation sites on a two-day Liberation Trail Tour organised by Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission (RDRC). For Mukarubogo, the visit to Mulindi brought back memories of the sacrifices that shaped her life and the determination that drove her to join the army while living in exile in Uganda. ALSO READ: Liberation: The inside story on why Mulindi matters Her family had fled to Uganda when she was a child, settling at a camp in Tooro. Growing up, she heard stories about Rwanda, described to the homeland as a 'beautiful country flowing with milk and honey.' She wanted to return, reclaim her identity and help ensure that future generations would not experience the life of exile. Her father's death also influenced her decision. He had been labelled an inyenzi, a derogatory term meaning cockroach that was used against Tutsi. “My father had passed away, he had been labelled an inyenzi, I understood that history so I decided to step forward in his place,” she recalled. Four of her siblings also joined the military, but none survived. Two died after the struggle, while the family never discovered what happened to the other two. Mukarubogo and other recruits entered Rwanda through Kagitumba on October 3, 1990. The recruits were initially sent back before undergoing three weeks of military training in Akagera National Park. During her seven years of service, Mukarubogo became a nurse through training within the army. She learnt to dress wounds, administer injections, draw blood and handle medical instruments, taking on responsibilities that extended beyond the battlefield. “I had not received any formal medical training before, rather, within the military after teaching us how to shoot they also taught us how to handle medical instruments,” she said. She served in the Special Force and the Fourth Battalion, among other assignments. Even when she was not deployed to the front lines, she helped prepare bandages, sterilise instruments and care for wounded soldiers. The work exposed her to difficult scenes and emergency operations conducted under challenging conditions. Despite the hardships, she said, the soldiers remained focused on reclaiming their country. “Our ultimate goal was to reclaim our country, so that we would no longer have to live as refugees or children of refugees,” she said. Mukarubogo also concealed her identity as a woman, adopting the nickname “Kadogo Juli” and wearing caps to avoid being singled out. She was featured as a young recruit in the first issue of Ingabo magazine. Returning to Mulindi reminded her of the journey and the people who had made it possible. The site, she said, represented far more than a former military headquarters. “Everything here at Mulindi brings back history. It was a wonderful surprise to be remembered, to be acknowledged for who we are, and brought back here,” she said. Although she continues to experience pain from a chest injury sustained during the struggle, Mukarubogo said she remains at peace knowing that the sacrifices helped secure a country for future generations. She also saluted President Paul Kagame and other RPF leaders who have contributed to the safety of the country for decades. “We are grateful to Afande [Kagame] and the RPF for the fact that we still have a country today,” she said, adding that veterans also stand in for comrades who died during the struggle. ALSO READ: Mulindi museum visit brings Rwanda’s liberation history to life for Indangamirwa youth She urged young people to learn the country's history and contribute to national development, saying the progress they enjoy today came at a considerable cost. “They should not assume that this country was simply given to us, we fought for it,” she said. The Liberation Trail Tour began with a visit to Gikoba bunker in Nyagatare District on Thursday, October 22, before proceeding to Kagitumba, where the liberation struggle began, and Mulindi in Gicumbi District on Friday, October 23, as they continued to Nyabwishongwezi, where the Maj Gen Fred Gisa Rwigema, RPA's first commander, fell during the early days of the military campaign. The tour aimed to honour the sacrifices of the veterans, recognise their contribution to the country and encourage younger generations to learn from liberation history and the struggle to stop the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Mulindi, the heart of the liberation struggle Located in Kaniga cell, Mulindi sector in Gicumbi District, Umulindi w’Intwari stands at a strategic hill that served as the headquarters of the RPF-Inkotanyi High Command from 1992 to 1994. Maj Gen Paul Kagame, then commander of the PRA and now President of the Republic, arrived at Mulindi in 1992 and remained there until 1994, when he left for Kigali to lead the campaign to stop the Genocide against the Tutsi. The hill was selected for its elevated terrain, which offered a defensive advantage, and its position between areas captured by the RPA in Mutara [Nyagatare] and Ruhengeri. Existing infrastructure from the Mulindi Tea Factory, established in 1963, also provided buildings that could be adapted for military and political activities. Today, the site houses the National Liberation Museum which preserves the history of the 1990-1994 liberation struggle. Among its key features is Kagame’s L-shaped bunker and his former residence. Military operations and other offensives in Byumba region were planned from the site. A building known as “Arusha” was used by RPF political cadres to prepare for negotiations and discuss resolutions reached during the Arusha Accords. The site also includes the residence of the RPF-Inkotanyi chairman, quarters used by Gen (Rtd) James Kabarebe, then Kagame’s aide-de-camp (ADC), a conference hall and sports grounds. The football pitch was used for RPA rank promotions and for briefing the battalion known as the “600” before its deployment to Kigali. Mulindi also reflects the contribution of women to the liberation movement. A building housed women who undertook military, medical, administrative and support duties. The RPF, founded in 1987, prioritised educating and sensitising mothers about Rwanda to nurture their childrenwhich also facilitated young women to join the struggle later. A special battalion known as “Yankee” included young women and mothers. During a period of nearly eight months of Arusha negotiations, when active combat subsided, many personnel took on administrative responsibilities, including protocol, finance and accounting, laying the foundations for the RPF-Inkotanyi women’s wing. The strategic location of Mulindi Several sites surrounding Mulindi also supported the liberation movement. Kaniga hill hosted the permanent headquarters of Radio Muhabura from 1992 until 1994, when the station moved to Kigali and integrated into Radio Rwanda. The station broadcast information and countered government propaganda. In nearby Rubaya, a general headquarters complex housed an arms depot, a medical facility for sick and wounded soldiers, a vehicle maintenance workshop and a supply distribution point. At Gishambashayo, the RPA established a settlement for civilians, providing education, medical care and vocational training to help them become self-reliant. Gatuna border crossing served as a major supply route for the RPA, facilitating the movement of visitors, journalists and participants in fundraising events. In nearby Mukarange, a field was used by Kagame to gather soldiers and visit troops stationed at different positions. Together, these locations formed a network of military, communications, logistical and civilian support around Mulindi, making the area central to the liberation campaign.

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Former RPA nurse recalls liberation struggle days at Mulindi