A graduation ceremony for unity and reconciliation training was held at Nyamasheke Correctional Facility for inmates convicted of genocide-related crimes who are nearing the completion of their sentences.
The programme marked the eighth cohort of structured rehabilitation sessions designed to prepare inmates for reintegration into society after serving sentences related to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The ceremony brought together officials, including the Governor of the Southern Province, as a significant number of the graduates are expected to return to communities in that region.
Officials urged the participants to apply the lessons learned during training, particularly the values of respect for others, patriotism, and rejecting divisionism and genocide ideology as they reintegrate into society.
Participants received training on Rwanda’s history, the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the country’s unity and reconciliation journey, good governance, security, civic responsibility, and community reintegration.
They were also encouraged to embrace truth, remorse, respect for others, and a commitment to contributing positively to national development after completing their sentences.
Authorities noted that the Southern Province accounts for the largest share of inmates completing sentences for genocide-related crimes in the current cohort, with 287 out of 644 participants originating from the region.
Officials linked this to the intensity of the genocide in the area, where many lives were lost and communities were deeply affected, with impacts that continue to be felt today.
The rehabilitation programme is implemented through a partnership between the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE) and the Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS), aimed at preparing inmates for reintegration into society after completing their sentences.
