GASABO - Thousands of people yesterday thronged Amahoro National Stadium to celebrate 15 years of liberation.

The colourful ceremony to mark 15 years after the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) stopped the Genocide and established a unity and reconciliation government will arguably be the most memorable since the end of the struggle.

Hordes of people started showing up at the stadium gates as early as 6am and by 8am, the 25.000 sitter was full to capacity, prompting security personnel to close the gates to the thousands of anxious people who threatened to force their way in.

Liberation songs filled the air as the crowd awaited the guests of the day.

The spectacular sitting arrangement was characterised by 4000 Youth from Kigali City, donning national colours in a formation that curved out the word "Kwibohora 15” (Liberation 15) over the Eastern part of the stadium.

Government officials, legislators, diplomatic corps and other top dignitaries slowly filled the VIP section as a colourful procession was showcased by the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) and the National Police, backed by the Army Band.

At 9.30am, the Master of Ceremonies, Information Minister and Government Spokesperson Louise Mushikiwabo and Col. Charles Karamba, the head of research and education in the RDF, announced the arrival of the Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi who was accompanied by his wife.

Zenawi joined Mama Miria Nyerere, the widow of the former Tanzanian leader Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, who alongside Zenawi were awarded top honours for their contribution to the struggle, the latter posthumously.

Shortly after Zenawi had arrived, the Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni— who was also decorated with two prestigious medals— made his way into the stadium, flanked by his wife Janet Museveni amid thunderous applause.

Shortly after the Ugandan anthem was played, President Paul Kagame’s motorcade made its way into the stadium attracting an even more thunderous applause from the massive crowd.

President Kagame, who was also accompanied by the First Lady Jeannette Kagame, inspected the guard of honour before joining his guests.

In a rather moving moment, the Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga, who grew up in exile in Tanzania, gave a citation by President Kagame in Kiswahili of the epic story of Mwalimu Nyerere, as a renowned Pan-Africanist, visionary leader and statesman whose ideas and moral advice contributed to the success of the struggle.

"Mwalimu, you were a great leader who taught us that personal humility is consistent with high office-and that recognizing and admitting one’s mistake is a sign of strength not weakness. Your political thinking and unwavering courage in the defence of freedom and the rights of the oppressed will forever remain in the annals of world history,” the citation read in part.

President Kagame presented the two honours URUTI-Rwanda’s National Liberation Medal to the emotional Mrs. Nyerere for the former Tanzanian leader’s contribution to the struggle and Umurinzi-Rwanda’s Campaign against Genocide Medal for his efforts to condemn the Genocide when it broke out and the call for the international community to act.

The same medals were presented to Zenawi for his intervention in 1994, to try and bring to a halt the genocide as it ravaged Rwanda. Ethiopia sent in troops under a UN mandate to stop the killings.

Also in 1998, through the UN, Zenawi strongly supported the establishment of the OAU panel of Eminent Persons that investigated and documented the Genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda. He is also believed to have been a strong ally of the RPF cause.

Amidst ululations, Kagame, flanked by  The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)General James Kabarebe, army Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen Charles Kayonga and his air force counterpart, Ly. Charles Muhire, decorated Museveni, who arguably contributed more than anybody else to the liberation struggle, which started in Uganda.

In what seemed as a ‘giveback gesture’, Museveni had for a few years captured power through a similar struggle and was supported by Rwandan soldiers, notably the late Maj. Gen Fred Rwigyema and Maj. Paul Kagame.

Museveni continued to lobby and convince the international community about the cause of the struggle and its justifications and also was among the first people to send an urgent message of an eminent Genocide to the world.

In her acceptance speech read by her daughter Rosemary Nyerere, Mrs. Nyerere and her family commended President Kagame for honouring Nyerere and the people of Tanzania and for having recognised and relied on the ideas and counsel of Nyerere, whose life, until retirement was dedicated to liberating Africa and restoring its dignity.

Zenawi on his part said that he has no ‘illusions’ about his contribution to the struggle, but would rather attribute the success of the struggle to the determined RPF fighters led by Kagame.

"Not only adversaries of Rwanda doubted the viability of the struggle but even close friends reached a time and doubted the success of the struggle” Zenawi said.

Find the remarks of President Kagame and President Museveni in the exclusive story of the struggle.

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