22 May 2021

On 18-19 May 2021, at Centre d’accueil St François d’Assise Kigali, trainings of the15 guardians of covenant (Abarinzi b’Igihango) at national level took place under the theme “Umurinzi w’Igihango mu mujishi wa Ndi Umunyarwanda” loosely translated as the guardian of covenant via Ndi Umunyarwanda ideology”, it was prepared by Unity Club in partnership with the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission and Rosa Luxemburg Foundation-East African (RLF-EA).

These trainings were prepared through Ndi Umunyarwanda Integration Project, the project under which Unity Club Intwararumuri is sponsored by Rosa Luxemburg Foundation-East African (RLF-EA), and they were prepared in order to keep improving the skills of the guardians of covenant (Abarinzi b’Igihango) in chairing the discussions of Ndi Umunyarwanda and in order to keep contributing to planting Ndi Umunyarwanda   into daily lives of Rwandans.

While opening these trainings officially, the president of Good Governance and Social Justice Command in Unity Club, Hon. Séraphine MUKANTABANA reminded the guardians of covenant (Abarinzi b’Igihango) that their extraordinary deeds kept being a good example to Rwandans.   

Hon. MUKANTABANA said, “Your beyond-compared deeds, on which your awards of being the guardians of covenant (Abarinzi b’Igihango) was based, kept being a good example to Rwandans and we believe that you will carry on playing a role in planting Ndi Umunyarwanda into all Rwandans by starting with your neighbours.

“Moreover, these trainings will help in having skills and capacity in chairing the discussions of Ndi Umunyarwanda so that you play a big role in preparing and offering such discussions at diversified levels.” She added.

In these trainings, the guardians of covenant (Abarinzi b’Igihango) were given trainings by Unity Club Intwararumuri members and the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission workers.

Among those talks given to them there was one on Ndi Umunyarwanda that was offered by   Madam Laurence MUKAYIRANGA, the Acting Director of Unity and Reconciliation Promotion Unit at the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, and the talk which was about “Explaining the guardians of covenant (Abarinzi b’Igihango), their assignments and the character that should characterize them.” which was offered by Madam Julie NIYIBIZI, the member of Unity Club Intwararumuri.

The other talks that were given to them include: the talk whose theme was, “The basic skills in chairing Ndi Umunyarwanda discussions.” It was offered by Hon. Julienne UWACU, the head of Forum and outreach sub-commission in Unity Club and the talk on “The approach of using testimonies in Ndi Umunyarwanda discussions” which was presented by Seraphine MUKESHIMANA, Peace Building Specialist at the National Commission of Unity and Reconciliation.

In these trainings the guardians of covenant (Abarinzi b’Igihango) were given time to share their viewpoints in groups whereby they did the assignment of chairing the discussion on Ndi Umunyarwanda. At the end of these trainings, the guardians of covenant (Abarinzi b’Igihango) decided to keep maintaining and protecting the covenant that they carry with them by perpetually being an impressive example to Rwandans whereby they used the saying which goes, “Umurinzi w’Igihango ntagira ikiruhuko” loosely translated as “the guardians of covenant (Abarinzi b’Igihango) never gets oblivious”.

While closing the trainings, Madam Régine IYAMUREMYE, the Executive Secretary of Unity Club Intwararumuri asked Abarinzi b’Igihango keep fighting the denial and the minimizing of the Genocide against the Tutsi and its ideology.

She said, “May being the guardians of covenant (Abarinzi b’Igihango) via Ndi Umunyarwanda knot give us devotion to fight the denial and the minimizing of the Genocide against the Tutsi and its ideology. May it build integrity into us, may it assign us to loathing the bad and fighting for our integrity. It is the way we chose to take, and this will help us to be back to our roots as well as building the Rwanda which is free of discord, discrimination, divisions, marginalization and all that preceded the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994.”

Unity Club Intwararumuri in partnership with National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, is preparing other trainings for the guardians of covenant (Abarinzi b’Igihango) at the district level. These trainings were scheduled on June22-23, 2021 but due to Covidi-19 protocols set to restrict its spread the trainings were postponed.