Police officers have been urged to remain vigilant in safeguarding Rwanda’s unity and to draw lessons from the country’s history as a foundation for protecting lasting peace and national development.

The call was made on Monday by the Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana, during a lecture delivered to officers at the Rwanda National Police Headquarters in Kacyiru as part of activities marking the 31st commemoration period of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Addressing the officers, Dr. Bizimana traced the political and historical events that culminated in the Genocide against the Tutsi, explaining how decades of ethnic division, discriminatory policies and extremist ideology laid the groundwork for one of the darkest chapters in Rwanda’s history.

He urged police officers to study this history carefully and remain committed to protecting the unity that Rwanda has rebuilt over the past three decades.

“Learn from this history and remain steadfast in safeguarding national unity,” he told the officers, emphasizing that “unity is the foundation of sustainable development and lasting peace.”

The minister stressed that security institutions have a critical responsibility not only to protect lives and property but also to defend the values of national cohesion and prevent any ideology that could threaten Rwanda’s stability.

The lecture forms part of a broader national civic education programme conducted during the annual Kwibuka commemoration period, when public institutions, schools and communities reflect on the causes, consequences and lessons of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Since the genocide, Rwanda has pursued a policy of reconciliation and nation-building through initiatives such as Ndi Umunyarwanda, civic education programmes and strengthened institutions aimed at fostering unity, accountability and social cohesion.

The Rwanda National Police regularly organizes such educational sessions to ensure officers understand the historical context of the country they serve and the role security agencies play in preserving peace, preventing genocide ideology and protecting the gains Rwanda has made in unity and reconciliation.