Hundreds of residents and school children on Friday afternoon converged at the University of Rwanda, Huye Campus, to welcome the Kwibuka Flame (Remembrance Flame) which continues its national tour ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis.The Flame’s arrival in the South central city from the neighbouring Nyanza District marked the sixth stop since it departed from Kigali early this month. The crowd in Huye honoured the Flame with a standing ovation and resolved to champion the cause for a better nation. The Kwibuka Flame symbolises remembrance as well as resilience and courage of Rwandan citizens who have diligently and bravely worked hard to rebuild the country that was torn apart by the Genocide twenty years ago. Carried in a lamp, the torch is set to reach all the 30 districts before the start of the national commemoration week on April 7.Speaking at the event, Internal Affairs minister Sheik Musa Fazil Harerimana said the torch is an indication that Rwanda has emerged from darkness and transformed into a thriving country."This Flame  symbolises the journey we have undertaken since the Genocide.  It is a reminder that we should always work for success and shun anything that derails our efforts,” Harerimana said. He reminded the residents that for the past twenty years, Rwanda has made significant strides thanks to joint efforts of residents and leaders who work closely to rebuild the country.He however urged Rwandans to beware of people who may want the country to slide back into the precipice again."A country’s development is like an individual’s achievements in their life. There are always those people who want to destroy whatever you achieve,” Harerimana warned."It is our responsibility to safeguard our progress and make sure that we achieve much more,” he added.Harerimana called for unity and fraternity, noting that it is the only way Rwanda will become a strong and successful country.He also urged people to embrace the ‘Ndi Umunyarwanda’ programme in order to build a country free from ethnic divisions. "Let this Flame be a symbol of unity, strength, and our commitment to fighting genocide ideology,” Harerimana said.The Southern Province Governor, Alphonse Munyantwari, told residents that it was time to recognise the selfless individuals who delivered Rwanda from darkness."United as one”Jean Marie Vianney Kayitare, a Genocide survivor, said survivors continue to uplift themselves despite many challenges.Kayitare, who is the only survivor in a family of eight, said the killers hunted down the Tutsis, with an aim of exterminating them."The zeal that the killers used to destroy this nation is the very zeal we should use to build it,” Kayitare said.Another person who testified at the event is a 45-year-old man, previously convicted for his role in the Genocide.Dominique Ndahimana, who pleaded guilty of genocide and was sentenced to eight years in jail by a Gacaca court in his home village in Simbi sector, gave an emotional testimony of how he grew up in a family that taught him and his siblings to hate and discriminate against the Tutsis."I grew up with that ideology and learnt to hate Tutsis at a tender age,” Ndahimana said.During the 1994 Genocide, Ndahimana was among killers who executed dozens of Tutsis in Simbi sector, Huye District, something he said he regrets todate.After serving his sentence in a prison in Butare, Ndahimana was released and returned to his community where he is heading a group of Genocide survivors and perpetrators who are championing unity and forgiveness in the area.The group comprises 30 members 17 of whom are Genocide convicts, while the rest are survivors.

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What they saidHuye District Mayor, Eugene Kayiranga Muzuka This Flame should motivate us to work harder because it is a symbol of life, hope and prosperity. It gives us the determination to build our district and work together for a common purpose.Laurence Kanayire, 60, SurvivorThis Flame is an indication that we must live and lead better lives. It is a symbol of hope.  After the Genocide, I thought life had come to an end.  However, good leadership has given us a reason to live, and smile again.