Rwandans have been called upon to jealously guard and build on the unity and, peace the country has achieved because its the absence of these that led to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. 

The Speaker of Parliament, Donatila Mukabalisa, made the remarks as she headed a delegation of deputies and senators to visit Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi as part of events to mark the 21st commemoration of the Genocide.

She said no one benefitted from the Genocide that claimed at least a million lives.

"From our history, we learn that disunity, segregation and bad leadership led to the tragic events of the Genocide but we also learn that no one benefitted from the Genocide,” Mukabalisa said.

"We need to protect our country against Genocide deniers and perpetrators. We also need to continue fighting against genocide ideology as we put in more efforts in building our nation,” she added.

Several other parliamentary delegations visited memorial sites in other parts of the country including Murambi in Nyamagabe District and Ntarama in Bugesera District.

Mukabalisa said the MPs are also planning to visit Bisesero memorial in Karongi District.

It is the first time legislators have organised countrywide tours of memorial sites for commemoration activities.

The Speaker said that the visits are in line with the spirit of remembering the innocent Rwandans who were killed, giving them back the dignity they lost and ensuring lasting peace ‘‘as we fight Genocide denial.’’

At Gisozi, the legislators were shown a 10 minute video of survivors’ testimonies at the Hope 4 Future room. In the video, victims narrate horrible ordeals they went through during the Genocide. Later, Mukabalisa led her delegation to lay a wreath on one of the final resting places of victims at the memorial site.

The memorial site has over 250,000 victims buried there.

The lawmakers also took time to visit the educational centre there which, among others, contains tales of victims’ testimonies of reconciliation with perpetrators or innocent children who were not allowed to associate with people of different ethnicity. These stories are told on pull-up banners.

 The speaker took the opportunity to thank President Paul Kagame for having led the struggle that stopped the Genocide.

 "We want to thank the RPF who liberated our country. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know if there would be a country to speak about,” she said.

 She added that the legislators have plans to visit families of victims that are vulnerable as well as find ways of appreciating those that helped victims during the Genocide.

The senate president, Bernand Makuza, led another team of legislators that visited Ntarama Memorial Site in Bugesera District, while senate vice-president Jeanne d’Arc Gakuba led the visit to Murambi Memorial Site in Nyamagabe District.