KCB Bank Rwanda staff and management on Thursday April 18th 2019 joined Rwandans and friends of Rwanda to commemorate 25 years after the Genocide against the Tutsi which left the country devastated and shattered. The commemoration event took place at Nyanza Genocide Memorial Center in Kicukiro district where they laid wreaths to honour the lives lost during the darkest days in the history of Rwanda. Nyanza is home to over 12,000 victims of the Genocide. George Odhiambo, Chief Executive Officer of KCB Bank Rwanda addresses the event As part of the commemorative event, KCB Bank Rwanda staff were taken through the tragic history of the country, what transpired during the Genocide, specifically at the former ETO Kicukiro, now IPRC-Kigali. Venutse Karasira, who survived the ETO massacres on April 11th 1994, shared his heart breaking survival story after the Belgian peacekeepers abandoned them, placing them in the hands of the Interahamwe militia. Karasira, who lost his right hand during the massacre told the KCB staff that they already knew they were dead the moment they witnessed the Belgian peacekeepers leave them because the militiamen were already lurking outside the school compound. KCB staff in the event He said that by walking out on them, the Belgians had signed the death sentence for over 400 Tutsis who had sought refuge there. George Odhiambo, Chief Executive Officer of KCB Bank Rwanda, said that the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi was a complete failure of the international community when world leaders failed to keep their word and commitment to Never Again to Genocide after the 1970s Cambodian Genocide. Venutse Karasira, who survived the ETO massacres on April 11th 1994, shared his heart breaking survival story. Odhiambo reminded the bankers that the transformation the country has been able to register for the past 25 years after the horrific tragedy that the country experienced is a vote of confidence to the resilience and commitment of Rwandans and their leadership to develop Rwanda. “KCB to be here for more than 10 years is a sign that there is something right in the leadership coupled with the hard choice Rwandans had to take, especially the survivors, to see this country through a disturbing past and be able to witness this transformation and remarkable development,” he said. The commemoration event took place at Nyaza-Kicukiro Genocide Memorial KCB Bank donated Rwf 2 million to Nyanza Genocide Memorial Center as part of its contribution to developing the Centre to meet modern standards. Last year the bank donated biochemical medical equipment to AVEGA Health Centre in Rwamagana to support the community in the screening and treatment of non-communicable diseases. Paulin Rugero, Commissioner at IBUKA in charge of Survivors’ Welfare, thanked the CEO and the entire KCB management for its partnership in commemorating the Genocide against Tutsi and encouraged them to always carry love with them and preach the gospel of unity. KCB Bank Rwanda entered the Rwandan market in 2008, and since then has been able to create close to 300 jobs, 95 per cent held by Rwandans. It also recently partnered with the National Youth Council in a youth empowerment programme, KCB Igire Programme, where 100 youth were sponsored to study vocational skills and, through a competition, 10 youth business projects shared Rwf 30 million as startup capital. editor@newtimesrwanda.com
