Rwandans across the country are today celebrating the 15th anniversary of their liberation from dictatorship.

On July 4th, 1994, the Rwandese Patriotic Army (RPF/A) successfully defeated the genocidal former Rwandan Army (ex-FAR) and their Interahamwe allies, and liberated Kigali.

The new government started rebuilding the country from ashes.  The NewTimes sought comments from Rwandans and below are some of the excerpts.

Tito Rutaremara -Ombudsman
The democratisation and the rule of law that the ruling Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF/A) fought for has been realised.

"All Rwandans and the country’s visitors enjoy security today,” Rutaremara said.

However, Rutaremara noted that the struggle for good governance is a process which can’t be won overnight. He stressed that divisionism, which caused Genocide ideology, has no place in today’s Rwanda.

Major General Caesar Kayizari
Before Rwanda was liberated, the country was politically malnourished. It was suffering from Kwashiorkor.

It was a bandit State. Imagine a Minister importing pangas in the country to be used in killing one section of the citizens. Rwanda is on course and has won accolades globally.

He said there were seeds of hatred sown among the Rwanda people leading to a culture of impunity where killers were rewarded.

Today Rwandans celebrate the fall of the Genocide regime by recognising the sacrifice of the officers and men of the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPF/A) who stopped the Genocide.

Col. (rtd) Ludovic Twahirwa
Also a historical RPF member, noted that since the establishment of the national unity government, many Rwandans have come back home. He says fifteen years down the road; the ruling government has achieved a lot in a short time.

He said that there has been tremendous social, political and economic recovery, and called for its support. The gains achieved in fifteen years are there and visible.

Sheik Mussa Fazil Harerimana Internal Affairs Minister
Harerimana, who is also the Spokesperson for the Forum for Political Parties, says all Rwandans are equal. "All Rwandans are treated equally with dignity,” Fazil said.

Instability arises when people are divided and not treated fairly. Everybody has freedom, access to medical healthcare. Rwandans have confidence in the leadership now.

He says the country has an honest leadership and good policies.

Robert Mugisha, tour guide
Rwanda is free of human rights violations. Many Rwandans were living in exile but that situation has ended. Every Rwandan is now free to live in his or her country.

I also hail our gallant soldiers who with limited resource managed to liberate Rwanda.

George Niyongabo, IT at AG Office
Rwanda was liberated from the hands of a bad regime and all Rwandans feel now they have a home. I can’t forget how I used to be called a refugee.

At school, classmates would tease me and give me all sorts of names and make me feel small.

I have a country now and feel proud about it. It was terrible living as a refugee but also worse for those who stayed behind in Rwanda because they were being hounded to destruction by the dictatorship.

Liberation reminds me of those sons of Rwanda who sacrificed their lives in order to stop human rights abuses.

Nshimiyimana Abdul Hakim, S.2 at ESSI Nyamirambo
Liberation day has many things meaningful to me. It is a day all Rwandans united.

Those who never lived in Rwanda returned to their motherland. It is a very significant day to all.
 
Mariam Byukusenge, at Bijouterie Tresor d’or

It’s a day of happiness and joy. One day this nation was in total darkness and now there is light. Everybody accesses education and there is justice.

Ends