Rwanda National Police

Rwanda National Police (RNP) has called on the general public to observe peace and security during the 25th commemoration period of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.

The Commemoration Week starts this Sunday April 7, as Rwandans and friends of Rwanda across the globe pay tribute to over one million innocent lives massacred 25 years ago, in just one hundred days.

RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera said, as accustomed, Rwandans are once again urged to "report anyone or anything that can affect peaceful commemoration activities."

He explained that Police and other sister security organs, as a norm, work together to ensure "incident-free" commemoration period but also ensuring that "whoever attempts to destabilise the peace and security of those paying tribute to their loved ones is brought to justice."

“We don’t anticipate any problems but we are working to ensure an incident-free commemoration week and the rest of 100 days, we would like to reassure the public of our commitment to ensuring that we go through this period without any security challenges,” he said.

"Peace and security is a shared responsibility, we have come to a period where we stand together and fight against any action aimed at negating the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi or targeting survivors in particular, and to confort survivors in our neighbourhoods in any way every Rwandan can," CP Kabera said.

He, however, appealed to Rwandans not to wait for Police or any other concerned entity to act but cooperate by providing "real time information" on anyone planning to disrupt commemoration activities in communities.

CP Kabera further reminded motorists and other road users to be cautious so as to avoid road accidents, aware that there will be increased movements of people going for commemoration events in different parts of the country.