Boris Johnson pays tribute to victims of Rwanda genocide

The Prime Minister bowed his head during a wreath laying ceremony at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits the Kigali Genocide Memorial, in Kigali, Rwanda. Leaders of Commonwealth countries meet every two years for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), hosted by different member countries on a rotating basis. Since 1971, a total of 24 meetings have been held, with the most recent being in the UK in 2018. Picture date: Thursday June 23, 2022 (Dan Kitwood/PA) (PA Wire)

Boris Johnson found it “utterly shocking” to witness the images and physical memorials of the genocide in Rwanda as he was led around a museum by survivors.

The Prime Minister bowed his head during a wreath laying ceremony at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where the remains of an estimated 250,000 people are interred.

Mr Johnson wrote a lengthy message in the visitors’ book before pausing at the flame of remembrance marking 28 years since the 100 days that saw Hutu extremists claim the lives of around 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus.

Boris Johnson with Freddy Mutanguha (left), executive director for the Aegis Trust at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, in Kigali, Rwanda (Dan Kitwood/PA) (PA Wire)

“It has been utterly shocking to see these images, and so many physical memorials, of the appalling and inexplicable genocide against the Tutsis,” it read.

“We must do everything we can to ensure that human hearts never again are allowed to breed such hatred.”