After the horrible events of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the country has undergone sporting revolution to promote peace, unity and reconciliation.

Over one million people were killed in a spell of only 100 days.

Sport did not only help in unity and reconciliation after the Genocide, but it also saved many during the atrocities.

Since 1995, memorial tournaments have been organized in various sports disciplines in the remembrance of the scribes, sportsmen, families and fans who lost their lives.

But, heavy investments in sports made by the current (Rwandan) Government has helped to cover up for the memories of the past. Rwandans are today a united one people.

Basketball, and sports in general, has immensely helped in reuniting the people of Rwanda who no longer principally identify with their ethnic groupings, but rather as Rwandans first.

As the country marks the 26th commemoration, Times Sport looks at how basketball contributed to restoring trust, a key to social cohesion.

In an interview with this publication on Thursday, Rwanda Basketball Federation (Ferwaba) president, Desire Mugwiza, said: "Basketball (and other sports) played a crucial role to reshape the Rwandan society – especially the youth – after 1994.”

"It also was – and still is – an essential vehicle to build the country’s image beyond borders.”

The local basketball governing body was one of the earliest federations to organise Genocide Memorial Tournaments (GMT), and that, Mugwiza says, helped to bring people together and build social cohesion that was lost because of the Genocide.

"We used the tournament as a platform to pass messages of ‘Never Again’, unity, reconciliation and the importance of remembering,” said Mugwiza. "Sport is a powerful tool.”

The inauguration edition of the annual GMT showpiece was held in 1996 under the name Gisembe Memorial Tournament, in honour of legend Emmanuel ‘Gisembe’ Ntarugera, his teammates and other departed members of the local basketball fraternity.

According to Mugwiza, at least 30 members of the basketball fraternity were killed during the Genocide, with more than half belonging to Basketball National League side Espoir.

Survivors’ contribution

Thanks to the efforts of reshaping the Rwandan society through basketball, also new generations of players – including genocide survivors – were produced, and they were instrumental in putting Rwanda on the international basketball map.

Point guard Aristide Mugabe, a survivor, is a long-serving national team player and has won seven league championships – with two different clubs – in the last eight years. On all occasions, he was the captain, first with Espoir, and then with his current team, Patriots.

"Basketball helped me to cope with life and restored faith in humanity again after everything tasted bitter. It gave me a new family. And, I have also achieved a lot from the sport,” the 32-year-old told this publication in a past interview.

Mugabe, who lost his father and several members of his family during the genocide, helped Rwanda to qualify for the African Basketball Championship (AfroBasket) finals in 2011, 2013 and was also part of the team at the 2017 edition.

Maxime Mwiseneza, a retired player and current assistant coach with Rwanda Energy Group, also underscores that basketball restored hope in him after losing his parents and a large number of relatives 26 years ago, when he was barely 10-year old.

"I would say basketball helped me so much to deal with the fact that I was an orphan because life after the genocide was so rough. For us who were young, it was beyond painful. We had to interact with children whose parents had killed ours.”

"The game restored hope in me.”

The 36-year-old, an engineer, is also a member of the national team coaching staff.