More than 160 Rwandans who voluntarily left the FDLR rebel group and completed a three-month reintegration program have been reunited with their families in Rubavu District, some for the first time in over 30 years.
The returnees, part of the 76th cohort, were officially discharged from a reintegration center on March 31, 2026, and handed over to families on April 1 in ceremonies attended by the Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission, security officials, local leaders, and community members. Emotional reunions marked the event, with returnees expressing gratitude for the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Amos Mbare, a returnee from the Mutobo center, thanked the government for welcoming them and pledged to contribute to national development using skills gained during training. “We are now Rwandans who know what to do. We are here to work together with you,” he said.
Maniriho Angelique, a mother of ten returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo, shared her fears of being harmed upon return, revealing how misinformation had previously kept her family from coming back. Her story highlights the risks faced by many who had fled, including abductions and false reports of deaths.
Rubavu District Mayor, Mulindwa Prosper, welcomed the returnees, praising their decision and encouraging others to follow suit. “Those who have returned have prospered and show that Rwanda offers equal opportunities to all,” he said.
Valérie Nyirahabineza, Director General of the RDRC, urged communities in border sectors to protect children from being lured back into armed groups under false pretenses.
Rubavu, bordering the DRC, is a known crossing point where many are abducted by the FDLR, often under the pretense of work in mining or charcoal production. The reintegration of these returnees underscores Rwanda’s continued efforts to provide safe pathways home and reintegrate former combatants into society.
