On October 1, 1990, a group of determined young men and women, many of them exiles who had never fully known the embrace of their homeland, crossed into Rwanda with little more than conviction and courage.
They were hungry, barefoot, and facing insurmountable odds, yet they carried on their shoulders the weight of a nation’s dignity. That daring act would ignite a liberation struggle that not only brought an end to decades of division and exile, but also stopped the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Thirty-five years later, Rwanda pauses each October 1 to commemorate Patriotism Day, a time to remember that the peace, security, and prosperity of today are anchored in sacrifices of yesterday.
It is not merely a date on the calendar but a reminder that patriotism is more than battlefield heroics. It is a living legacy, evolving through generations, and demanding courage in both extraordinary and ordinary choices.
From the hills of liberation to the lessons of unity
The story of Rwanda’s liberation is one of resilience and sacrifice. The Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA), led by a then-33-year-old Paul Kagame, chose to confront despair with action.
They left behind the relative safety of refugee camps and embarked on a journey through forests, rivers, and rugged hills, often with no food, shoes, or shelter.
Cold nights pierced through their worn clothes, hunger followed them endlessly, and danger lurked at every corner. Yet, their deepest pain was watching comrades fall in battle without medical care, knowing the cost of freedom was steep but necessary.
Their struggle was never for personal gain. It was born from the conviction that Rwanda must belong to all its children, that exile should never again define identity, and that no citizen should be excluded from their homeland.
Through discipline and vision, Kagame transformed the RPA into a force capable of standing against impossible odds, and ultimately, they delivered a nation from the grip of ethnic ideology and destruction.
The liberation struggle left lessons for generations. That patriotism is not a passive feeling, but an active choice. That sacrifice is often the price of dignity and that youth, far from being too young to lead, are often the engines of transformation.
Patriotism as a living heritage
Patriotism in Rwanda, however, did not begin in 1990. As Nicolas Rwaka of CHENO explains, it is a heritage rooted in centuries of history, passed down from ancestors who defended their nation at all costs.
In pre-colonial times, bravery and love for the country were inseparable, taught through institutions like Itorero which instilled discipline, unity, and service.
Even under colonial rule, when unity and resistance were deliberately undermined, figures such as King Mutara III Rudahigwa and Michel Rwagasana stood as symbols of integrity and sacrifice.
The liberation struggle, and later the post-genocide rebuilding, drew from this deep well of patriotism. As Rwaka emphasizes, “Today, the value of patriotism is less about battlefield heroics and more about creating a society rooted in unity, equity, and progress.”
Voices of wisdom: Elders and the call to youth
For Rwanda’s elders, Patriotism Day is both a remembrance and a warning. Boniface Rucagu, who witnessed the political shifts of multiple regimes, believes true patriotism is inseparable from service.
“You cannot claim to love your country without loving its people,” he insists. For him, rejecting ethnic ideology, even at great personal risk, was an act of patriotism in itself.
Others, like Solange Mukasonga, highlight the fading patience and resilience that once defined young soldiers. In an era shaped by technology and instant gratification, she warns that nation-building still requires perseverance, discipline, and truth.
History, she stresses, must be taught honestly, without distortion, so that future generations are not misled by denial or revisionism.
Lawyer and REAF member Agnes Mukabaranga echoes this, urging young Rwandans to seize the opportunities of education and peace that their predecessors never enjoyed. “Patriotism starts at home,” she explains, “with a child who learns to care for others, to put the community above personal interests.”
The gift of peace, the duty of continuity
Today’s Rwanda is a far cry from the despair of 1990. It is a nation of opportunity, stability, and progress. But peace is not permanent if left unguarded. As one young writer put it, “Our responsibility is not to fight with weapons, but to defend Rwanda’s peace with how we live, work, and treat one another.”
This new era of patriotism calls for integrity in leadership, innovation in classrooms and businesses, honesty in public service, and unity in daily life. The sacrifices of the RPA remind us that freedom was never free, and the prosperity of tomorrow depends on the choices of today.
As the generation of liberation heroes grows older, their torch of sacrifice must not fade into memory. It must be carried forward, bravely, responsibly, and with vision.
Patriotism today may not mean walking barefoot through forests or facing bullets in the night, but it does mean putting Rwanda first, above personal interest, in every sphere of life.
The question is not whether the past was honored in speeches, but whether the present generation will live with the same spirit of sacrifice that brought Rwanda this far. Rwanda’s story is still being written and its future will be determined not by what was endured yesterday, but by what is chosen today.
