The memorial site holds the remains of more than 59,000 victims, including over 30,000 people who were killed within a very short period after seeking refuge at the Nyarubuye Catholic Church, in the hope that it would be a safe place.
During the guided tour, EAX staff were presented with detailed accounts of the extreme cruelty that characterized the killings.
Survivors and guides described acts such as opening victims’ chests, placing blood in containers to mockingly test whether it could turn into milk, and spreading pepper on bodies to check for signs of life. Children were also violently killed, including being smashed against walls, alongside other forms of brutality.
One survivor, Léoncie Mukandayambaje, who lived through the massacre at Nyarubuye Church, gave testimony of how her baby was killed in front of her after being cut with a machete.
She herself survived after being rescued by the Rwandan Patriotic Army, despite suffering severe injuries.
Commitment to remembrance and education
Paradie Ritha Nimusabe, an employee of East Africa Exchange Ltd, said the visit was particularly meaningful for young people born after the genocide.
She stated that the experience strengthened her resolve to fight genocide denial and ensure such atrocities are never repeated, noting that the cruelty witnessed at Nyarubuye should never happen again.
Similarly, Jean Marie Vianney Nizeyimana said the visit helped him understand how the genocide was carefully planned and how ordinary civilians in Nyarubuye were killed simply for being Tutsi. He added that he intends to pass on these lessons to his children so they grow up valuing unity, love, and historical awareness.
Aimé Gilbert Tuyisenge also reflected on the visit, saying he had heard about Nyarubuye before but had never visited. He described being shocked by testimonies of sexual violence and humiliation suffered by women and girls during the genocide. He emphasized the importance of teaching younger generations Rwanda’s history so that they can learn from it and actively confront denial.
The Chief Executive Officer of EAX, Clement Kayitakire, said the company deliberately organized the visit to Nyarubuye Genocide Memorial to help employees learn the history firsthand and pass it on to younger generations.
He stressed the importance of youth engagement in telling the truth about history, especially at a time when misinformation and genocide denial are spreading on social media.
“It is our responsibility, especially for young people, to tell the truth about this history. On social media today, there are people who distort and deny the Genocide against the Tutsi. That is why we must learn this painful history and be able to respond with facts,” he said.
The Mayor of Kirehe District, Rangira Bruno, praised EAX for taking its staff to learn about the history of Nyarubuye. He urged them to take up the responsibility of fighting genocide denial and educating younger generations.
He recalled the extreme brutality of the killings, noting that victims included men, women, children, and the elderly, and that perpetrators went as far as mutilating bodies and desecrating remains in an attempt to maximize suffering. He also acknowledged the role of the Rwandan Patriotic Front in stopping the genocide and restoring peace.
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