Why ‘Kwibuka’ matters to Tanzanians

Why ‘Kwibuka’ matters to Tanzanians

By Fatou Harerimana

On April 7, Rwanda will mark 30 years since the Genocide against the Tutsi. “Kwibuka”, which means to remember, is an annual period of solemn reflection when we come together to honour the victims, unite in our collective grief and renew our commitment to continue to build a better future for all Rwandans.

This important act of preserving memory, and ensuring the accurate re-telling of history, matters to Rwandans. And though it might not be immediately apparent, it is also important to Tanzanians. The international community played a part in the tragedy while the world watched it unfold. Every nation can benefit from reflecting on the lessons from this preventable genocide borne of division and hatred. 

Thirty years ago, in 100 days over one million Tutsi were murdered just because they were Tutsi. Hutus who opposed the genocidal government were also killed. This ‘crime of crimes’ happened in plain sight. The international community were, at best, indifferent to the horrific violence, with some countries being complicit in the killings.

No one came to Rwanda’s aid. The slaughter was only halted when the Rwandan Patriotic Front took Kigali and defeated the genocidaires. The Genocide showed what can happen when an ideology built on hatred is allowed to flourish unchecked by those with the power to intervene.

Although foreign governments and international institutions failed Rwanda in our greatest hour of need, there were many brave foreigners on the ground who made heroic contributions.

For example, in 2009, the founding father of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere was posthumously decorated with “Umurinzi” (“the Guardian”) medal, Rwanda’s Campaign against Genocide Medal, which was received by Mama Maria Nyerere on his behalf.

When the world impassively watched as the Genocide against the Tutsi peaked in Rwanda, Mwalimu Nyerere was among the very few voices of reason who denounced the killers outright, recognizing and calling the genocide by its true name.

Internationally, New Zealand, Nigeria and the Czech Republic used their positions on the UN Security Council to press for the institution to take action. Permanent Representative Colin Keating (New Zealand) and Chief Delegate Prof Ibrahim Gambari (Nigeria) put forward separate resolutions calling for greater troop deployment and for the troops to be given a mandate to save civilians. Ambassador Karel Kovanda joined the calls for greater action and was also the first person to use the term genocide within the security council when describing what was happening. These few voices did what they could to raise the alarm with a world that was choosing not to listen.

Beyond remembering the individual stories, this significant commemoration provides an opportunity for the world to reflect on the lessons of the Genocide and the battle to preserve the integrity of the historical accounts of it.

There has been a concerted effort to deny the Genocide happened in the way we know it did. These genocide deniers use various tactics, ranging from questioning the numbers of victims – despite having no evidence to contradict the verified figures – to blaming the victims for causing the Genocide. They even go as far as creating false equivalencies by suggesting a double genocide took place.

These tactics are not new. They have been deployed by perpetrators and deniers of other genocides such as the Holocaust. But if we are not careful, this distortion of historical facts – supercharged by social media and AI tools now in the hands of deniers – could be deployed across the world turning true history into contested debate.

Rwanda’s history has shaped Rwandan shared identity – this is why the historical clarity about the Genocide against the Tutsi is of national and international importance

The memorials Rwanda maintains (four of which have been designated UNESCO world heritage sites) are vital to anchoring the truth, and truth is essential to reconciliation and renewal. The artefacts we preserve are our evidence, and the stories we tell are witness testimony.

Our collective memory also provides the world with a warning that the ideology which drove the Genocide must not be allowed to flourish and spread ever again. This is unfortunately happening today just beyond Rwanda’s borders.

On April 7 and beyond, we ask that Tanzania stand in solidarity with Rwanda. We ask that you do this to honour the memory of all Rwandans who lost their lives, and Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and others who did their best to help during Rwanda’s darkest hour. And we ask for your solidarity in preserving the true account of Rwanda’s history so that the world can match the words ‘never again’ with tangible action to prevent history from repeating itself.

Fatou Harerimana is Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Tanzania

Original Media Source

Share this news

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp

This Year's Most Read News Stories

Popular
Chief Editor

Zanzibar airport operators decry job losses over Dubai deal

Tanzania air operators say over 600 workers are set to lose their jobs after the semi-autonomous government of Zanzibar awarded a Dubai-based company exclusive rights to handle ground services at a refurbished airport.

The Tanzania Air Operators Association (Taoa) said in a statement that the contract awarded to Dnata, which is registered at the London Stock Exchange, was in breach of the law banning any company from having exclusive rights to ground-handling services at major airports.Continue Reading

Britam half-year net profit hits Sh2bn on higher investment income
Tanzania Foreign Investment News
Chief Editor

Britam half-year net profit hits Sh2bn on higher investment income

Insurer and financial services provider Britam posted a 22.5 percent jump in net earnings for the half-year ended June 2024, to Sh2 billion, buoyed by increased investment income.

The rise in half-year net profit from Sh1.64 billion posted in a similar period last year came on the back of net investment income rising 2.5 times to Sh13.27 billion from Sh5.3 billion.

“We are confident in the growth and performance trend that Britam has achieved, supported by its subsidiaries in Kenya and the region. Our business is expanding its revenue base while effectively managing costs,” Britam Chief Executive Officer Tom Gitogo said.

“Our customer-centric approach is fueling growth in our customer base and product uptake, particularly through micro-insurance, partnerships, and digital channels.”

The investment income growth was fueled by interest and dividend income rising 34 percent to Sh9.1 billion, which the insurer attributed to growth in revenue and the gains from the realignment of the group’s investment portfolio.

Britam also booked a Sh3.79 billion gain on financial assets at a fair value, compared with a Sh1.8 billion loss posted in a similar period last year.

The increased investment income helped offset the 12.7 percent decline in net insurance service result to Sh2.13 billion in the wake of claims paid out rising at a faster pace than that of premiums received.

Britam said insurance revenue, which is money from written premiums, increased to Sh17.8 billion from Sh16.6 billion, primarily driven by growth in the Kenya insurance business and regional general insurance businesses, which contributed 30 percent of the revenue.

The group has a presence in seven countries in Africa namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, Mozambique, and Malawi.

Britam’s insurance service expense hit Sh13.6 billion from Sh11.3 billion, while net insurance finance expenses rose 2.6 times to Sh12.3 billion during the same period.

“Net insurance finance expenses increased mainly due to growth in interest cost for the deposit administration business driven by better investment performance. This has also been impacted by a decline in the yield curve, which has led to an increase in the insurance contract liabilities. The increase has been offset by a matching increase in fair value gain on assets,” said Britam.

Britam’s growth in profit is in line with that of other Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed insurers, which have seen a rise in profits.

Jubilee Holdings net profit in the six months increased by 22.7 percent to Sh2.5 billion on increased income from insurance, helping the insurer maintain Sh2 per share interim dividend.

CIC Insurance Group posted a 0.64 percent rise in net profit to Sh709.99 million in the same period as net earnings of Liberty Kenya nearly tripled to Sh632 million from Sh213 million, while Sanlam Kenya emerged from a loss to post a Sh282.2 million net profit.

Continue Reading