Testifying for Truth: Liliane Murangwayire Shares Her Story at BK Arena During Kwibuka31

On April 7, 2025 — the first day of Kwibuka31 — survivor and author Liliane Murangwayire delivered a deeply moving testimony at BK Arena, one of Rwanda’s largest remembrance events.

The event brought together thousands of youth who had just completed a Walk to Remember alongside President Paul Kagame, government officials, and other high-profile guests. The arena was full as the commemoration began, and Murangwayire’s testimony was one of the day’s most powerful moments.

She shared her experience of surviving the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, recalling how she was only 12 years old when she fled with her family to Ntarama Church. Of her family of 12, only 3 survived.

In her testimony, she described how she witnessed her loved ones being killed, how she was left for dead, and how she eventually survived by hiding in the swamps of Bugesera. She was later carried by an RPA soldier, received treatment in Italy, and returned home to Rwanda, where she continues to share her story as a form of truth-telling and healing.

Midway through her testimony, the arena fell into an emotional wave as cries of trauma and grief echoed from the crowd. The raw pain of remembrance reminded all present that the wounds of genocide do not fade with time. Her words became a vessel for shared national memory.

🎥 You can watch the full testimony here:
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I speak so the truth lives on,” she told the crowd.
“I survived, and because I did, I must speak — for those who never had the chance.

The moment was widely covered in national media, and many attendees expressed how the testimony brought history to life in a way no book or documentary ever could.

Liliane Murangwayire’s story is also captured in her memoir:
Surviving the Unthinkable: A Story of Hope and Resilience

This book explores not only her survival but also the roots of genocide, the silence of the world, the strength of Rwandans, and the long journey of healing.