After the tragic 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, sports have become a vital social event that helps restore hope for survivors and foster unity in Rwandan society. Some survivors who were young when the tragedy unfolded have gone on to become successful athletes. Their careers not only improved their own lives but also turned sport into a tool for healing past wounds and rebuilding hope.
Maxime Mwiseneza, a former basketball player now coach, is one such example. Born in Gisozi, Gasabo District, in June 1983, he was the second‑last of six children. Both his father, Alexandre Hategekimana, and his mother, Adele Mukasangwa, perished in the genocide. Although he survived, the trauma deeply affected him, and basketball offered a glimmer of hope. Drawing on his experience, Mwiseneza told Weekend Sport that sport has been essential for restoring hope and unity among Rwandans. “On the pitch, people share the happiness of being alive and playing, putting the past aside to build a future,” he said. “While some turned to drugs and alcohol, those who stayed in sports improved their physical and mental health, returned to school, and became the men and women we see today.” Sports also prevent survivors from feeling isolated; relationships with teammates on and off the field create a comfort zone. “Off the field, teammates give you people to talk to freely, despite societal differences,” he explained. “Sports people have helped survivors and their families move on, forgive, and heal.” Mwiseneza believes more investment in sports could create jobs and opportunities for young people, further reducing hate.
Former national volleyball team captain Christopher Mukunzi also illustrates sport’s power to heal. He was six when his father was killed in the genocide, and his family has never recovered his remains. Surviving with his four brothers and mother, Mukunzi initially could not imagine forgiving the perpetrators. Yet his involvement in sports changed his mindset. “I thought I would never speak to people of another ethnicity again, but sport helped my pain heal. Sports played a crucial role in reconciliation between survivors and perpetrators,” he said. He added that Rwanda’s sports sector is now inclusive, with no prejudice or division, and urged all Rwandans to preserve the memory of the tragic history while rebuilding the nation.
Female tennis player Joselyne Umulisa also found hope through sport after losing her parents and five siblings at age nine. Injured during the genocide, she was encouraged to exercise as part of her recovery, which sparked her interest in sports. After trying volleyball, athletics, and basketball, she discovered a talent for tennis and eventually became one of the country’s top players. After 18 years on the court, she moved into coaching. “On the field, you don’t think about ethnicity; you work to earn points and make the country proud,” she said. To maintain unity and reconciliation, she called on the government to support sports as it does other sectors, emphasizing that a united, reconciled sporting nation makes every Rwandan proud.
Reuniting Rwandans has required significant government effort, including bringing genocide ideologues to justice. Sports have been a crucial tool in this process, helping to uproot divisionism. Desire Mugwiza, president of the Rwanda Basketball Federation (FERWABA), noted that sports bring people from across the country together, allowing them to forge lasting relationships. “In the aftermath of the 1994 genocide, sports provided space for healing and reconciliation and continue to foster social cohesion and national unity,” he said. Similarly, Theoneste Karenzi, former tennis player and current president of the local tennis federation, believes sport creates unbreakable bonds. “Sport creates friendships between people who would not normally communicate. It is a powerful tool against division and racism because it brings people together around shared ideals, encouraging communication and friendship,” he explained.
Each year, the sports community remembers athletes and administrators killed during the genocide. Tournaments are organized to honor them, such as the “Peace Cup” for football teams introduced a year after the genocide, and the Genocide Memorial Tournaments (GMT), which specifically commemorate the victims, especially sportsmen and women. Alice Umulinga, president of the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee (RNOSC), said these initiatives have brought Rwandans together again, allowing them to cheer for their favorite teams while helping survivors heal trauma and wounds. “Rwanda had to rebuild and strengthen all sectors, including sport, as the government recognized sport’s power to promote social cohesion, development, and to rebrand the country’s image,” she added.
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