“We Are Beginning to See Changes”

NYAMASHEKE, February 13, 2026 - Jean-Damascene Bizimana, Rwanda’s Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, says authorities are observing positive behavioral changes among prisoners convicted for their role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi who underwent pre-release civic training.

He made the remarks in Nyamasheke District during the closing ceremony of the sixth phase of a reintegration program targeting inmates with less than six months remaining on their sentences for genocide-related crimes.

According to Minister Bizimana, individuals who received the training demonstrated improved reintegration outcomes upon returning to their families, while some who did not participate showed signs of social isolation, divisionism, and adherence to genocide ideology.

Call for Accountability and Unity

Addressing the participants, Minister Bizimana emphasized the importance of acknowledging responsibility for past crimes committed during the Genocide against the Tutsi. He reminded them that their convictions stemmed from choices made under a regime that promoted persecution and mass violence against the Tutsi population.

“The message we give them,” he said, “is to accept that they have completed their sentence, that they have received the lessons provided, and that they are rejoining the Rwandan community to build ‘Ndi Umunyarwanda’ - a Rwanda free from ethnic division, discrimination, and genocide ideology.”

He stressed the importance of telling the truth about history, underscoring that national unity depends on confronting the realities of the past.

Low Recidivism Among Trained Inmates

Minister Bizimana noted that cases of reoffending remain rare among those who completed the training. In contrast, some individuals who did not undergo the program have reportedly exhibited signs associated with genocide ideology.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the Commissioner General of the National Service for the Prevention of Crime, CG Evariste Murenzi, urged participants to avoid reoffending and to become responsible members of society.

Families Participate in Reintegration

For the first time, families attended the closing ceremony, which included the awarding of completion certificates. Officials say the move aims to strengthen family reconciliation and community reintegration.

Iyakaremye Pacifique, a resident of Nyamasheke whose father was sentenced to 19 years for genocide crimes, shared the emotional toll of growing up with that legacy. He said he once felt ashamed but now hopes for positive change and responsible parental guidance moving forward.

Twagiramungu Jean Baptiste, who completed a 30-year sentence, thanked the government for establishing the program and pledged to uphold national unity. “The days we have spent here will not be in vain,” he said, adding that the rebuilding of unity under the ‘Ndi Umunyarwanda’ framework must be preserved.

Another participant, Musabyimana Jean, said he intends to promote what he described as historical truth and defend Rwanda’s leadership, including Paul Kagame.

654 Participants in Sixth Cohort

The sixth phase of the program brought together 654 inmates, including 165 individuals who were released immediately after completing both their sentences and the training.

Rwandan authorities say the initiative forms part of broader efforts to reinforce national reconciliation, civic responsibility, and long-term social cohesion more than three decades after the 1994 genocide.