The security situation across the country was generally calm during the 23rd commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda National Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Theos Badege, has said.

In an interview, ACP Badege said that the commemoration week was marked with mass participation in commemorative events and security organs ensured that security was well maintained at all sites.

Normally, cases of genocide ideology are widely reported during the commemoration period but according to the spokesperson, these cases keep dropping each year, "an indication that there is hope that at one point there won’t be a single case.”

"Since this month began, we have recorded 24 cases related to genocide ideology. These cases indicate about 50 per cent decrease compared to last year,” he said.

ACP Badege said that of the 24 cases reported, the majority involve elderly, people especially men.

"Most of these offences were verbal in nature against genocide survivors and a few physical cases,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Police spokesperson also disclosed that the Force has apprehended three men in connection with the killing of a Genocide survivor’s cow in Kicukiro District, recently.

He also highlighted another case in Rubavu District, where three men left a commemoration event early and went to set ablaze a house belonging to an 80-year old Genocide survivor.

"Residents managed to put out the fire and the three men were immediately arrested,” he said.

He hailed public partnership in reporting such cases and continued vigilance in fighting genocide ideology.

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