Rwanda has made tremendous gains over the years thanks, in large part, to unity and reconciliation efforts that were ushered in by the RPF/A liberators that took charge of the country 22 years ago having stopped the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi reflected on that journey, on Saturday, as he launched the ninth edition of the ‘Unity and Reconciliation Week’, urging citizens to stay the course as far as nation-building is concerned.

In the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which left over one million people dead, the country was deeply divided and the social fabric of society was ripped apart.

It took selfless leadership and deliberate efforts to embark on a path of unity and reconciliation and over two decades later, this path has taken the country to another level. As we mark the ‘Unity and Reconciliation Week’, we should take time to reflect on how far we have come as a people and what needs to be done to consolidate the gains we’ve made thus far.

Like the Premier said, the Unity and Reconciliation Week is a special period for Rwandans to pause and reflect on the progress they have made over the years, and further embrace unity as a means to safeguard the achievements they have realised together.

Unity is the foundation of sustainable development which every Rwandan should strive for.

It is also a time to recommit to our concerted effort in the fight against any attempt to undo the gains made in the area of unity and reconciliation. Genocide ideology is still a threat to the country and some of its perpetrators are still at large, including the architects of the 1994 Genocide.

As Rwandans, we should keep steadfast in the fight against genocide ideology and everything that’s designed to drag us back to the pre-1994 era.