An official from the umbrella body for Genocide survivors’ association, Ibuka, has called upon employees of Park Inn by Radisson Hotel in Kigali to always embrace unity rather than wasting time on ethnic segregations.

The employees of the hotel that operates in Kiyovu, in Nyarugenge district were visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial as part of the 24th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi.

During the event, Olivier de Maurice Rutayisire, the president of Ibuka in Nyarugenge district shared his testimony to the hotel’s staff and asked them to use the opportunity they have today to develop themselves and their families, rather than sticking to ethnic divisionism, which he said is only destructive.

"In our time, the Tutsi were not allowed to study in university; they were not allowed to do all kinds of jobs. They were barred from teaching jobs and all other kinds of employment, which is not the case today. We are all Rwandans with equal rights and opportunities,” he said.

Rutayisire took them through the process to prepare the genocide and the different stages it went through before it was executed in April 1994.

"We have to remember in order to fight against the genocide denial, while giving the deserving dignity to our loved ones who were killed in the Genocide,” he said.

Regis Mazimpaka the supervisor in charge of meetings and events at Park Inn Hotel said it was a crucial to reflect on the country’s history and change the direction of the country from divisive politics to inclusive development.

"We are not Tutsi, Hutu or Twa; we are all Rwandans. People don’t come into this hotel because someone belongs to which group, they just come because we offer good services, and that’s what matters the most,” he said.

Rakesh Hurry Churn, the General Manager of Park Inn by Radisson Kigali said more than 90 per cent of his employees have strong ties with what happened 24 years ago and it’s their responsibility as a hotel to help them commemorate as the whole nation does during this period.

"It’s a responsibility of the hotel to help our staff remember, work in unity and renew,” he said.