As the 30th Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi continues, staff and management from Equity Bank Rwanda gathered on Tuesday at the Nyanza Genocide Memorial in Kigali to honour and remember the victims.
During the ceremony, they placed wreaths on a mass grave at the memorial site, where the remains of over 105,000 victims of the Genocide are interred.
Following a tour of the memorial garden, the group convened for a solemn evening of commemoration, featuring testimonies and discussions on supporting the country’s development agenda and healing process.
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Hannington Namara, Managing Director of Equity Bank Rwanda, urged the Equity team to regularly reflect on Rwanda’s past and actively combat genocide ideology and social injustice.
"Every individual in our society holds the power to combat evil and stand against injustice. As we commemorate, let us acknowledge and appreciate the resilience of survivors, a testament to God’s grace. Our bank aligns closely with government efforts to establish mechanisms that ensure such atrocities never happen again, empowering youth as catalysts for positive change.”
Namara underscored the importance of youth in preserving Rwanda’s narrative, highlighting Equity Leaders Program scholars who exemplified this through poetry at the event. He encouraged the exploration of additional innovative mediums to effectively convey Rwanda’s story.
"As a bank, we recognise the critical importance of security in our operations. Without peace, we cannot effectively function, and we are grateful to our country for enabling us to contribute to its development, unity, and promising future.
"This commitment includes actively opposing any form of divisionism that could threaten our society and lead us back to past tragedies,” Namara added.
Eric Mahoro, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), reflected on the serious consequences of divisionism and genocide ideology. He noted that some individuals are unable to commemorate due to their family’s ties to hate crimes or personal experiences of murder during the Genocide.
Mahoro criticised the international community for allowing the Genocide to occur again in Rwanda despite the Genocide Convention being established in 1948. He attributed this failure to a lack of collective action, with each entity prioritising its own interests. Mahoro suggested that bad governance contributes to genocide, asserting that government participation is necessary for such atrocities to occur. He expressed scepticism towards international entities, describing them as somewhat incompetent and advocating for self-reliance.
"During the commemoration, we encourage everyone to prioritise what truly matters by setting aside daily concerns to honour the memory of those who perished. It's important to engage children in this process, taking them to genocide memorials to understand where their relatives rest and sharing the accurate historical narrative without promoting hatred.
"Adults should also reflect on governance issues, engage with multimedia content that highlights resilience, and actively oppose genocide ideology while holding accountable those who participated and remain fugitives abroad,” he said.
Mahoro concluded by emphasising that Kwibuka, the commemoration of the Genocide, extends beyond April and should be a continual practice. He encouraged individuals to remember those lost in their daily routines, emphasising that they possess the potential to fulfil the aspirations of the deceased.
Laurent Ndagijimana, a representative from Ibuka, the umbrella organisation for Genocide survivors’ associations, expressed concern over the use of unclear language by individuals or institutions when referring to the targeted Tutsi group during the Genocide.
He emphasised the importance of consistency in statements to ensure that "Never Again” becomes a reality, citing the undeniable historical fact of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Ndagijimana also highlighted the issue of countries that have not prosecuted individuals with ties to the Genocide. He asserted that no individual should evade accountability for their involvement in genocide, regardless of their location or political motivations. "Each year, we persist in advocating for the accountability of these perpetrators to ensure they face justice.”
Equity Bank Rwanda commenced operations in 2011, marking its entrance into Rwanda’s financial landscape. Since then, the bank has actively contributed to the country’s economic development by providing financial support to businesses across various sectors—a commitment that officials have reaffirmed and pledged to continue.