Kwibohora20: Youth commit to be agents of change

YOUTH attending a three-day Kwibohora20 conversation have expressed their commitment to contribute towards national development and be the generation that takes unity to the next level. The youth who are part of over 600 young men and women taking part in the Kwibohora20 event in Musanze said it was a great opportunity for them to meet and discuss issues pertaining the Ndi Umunyarwanda initiative and were optimistic it will help them understand its essence and implementation process. The conversations, that run from June 26, to 28, were organised by the Imbuto Foundation in partnership with the Ministry for Youth and ICT under the theme: ‘Kwibohora20: Twahisemo’ loosely translated to mean ‘liberation 20th anniversary–our choices.’ The theme reflects the three choices Rwandans made after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi – to stay together, be accountable and to think big. Marie Claire Ingabire, from Karongi District, said the conversation will help her understand how she can contribute towards sustainable peace in the country. “We have been reminded from the conversations that Rwanda was united before being divided along ethnic lines by the colonialists,” she said. “I know that as a young woman, it is my responsibility to make good choices, think big and rebuild my country. Vincent Nsanzimana, from Ngororero District, lauded the organisers of the event for helping youth understand better the Ndi Umunyarwanda drive. He pledged to spread the message of Ndi Umunyarwanda as a way of contributing towards national development. The conservations help participants better understand NdiUmunyarwanda (I am Rwandan) and encourage them to contribute towards national development by initiating projects that benefit their communities. Kwibohora is the Kinyarwanda word for liberation. Rwanda will this year mark 20 years of liberation by reflecting on the past, looking ahead with optimism and a renewed commitment to a prosperous future. Addressing the youth in Musanze, MP Cécile Murumunawabo advised young people to shun divisionism. “We are all Rwandans and we should never allow to be divided. Let’s work hard and serve as agents of change,” she noted. “Those who wronged us will envy our progress. Ndi Umunyarwanda has not just started. It began when Rwandans launched the liberation struggle and there after built a non-ethnic country,” she said. Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Bayingana, the vice-chairman of National Itorero Commission, took the youth through the journey Rwanda went through to get to where it is.