Kigali, 19 December 2014
President Kagame has said that Rwandans cannot exchange anything for their right to be who they are and what they want to be. While concluding the National Dialogue Council today, President Kagame said Rwandans are naturally humble people, but that this should not be taken for granted.
In his closing remarks, President Kagame said Rwanda’s situation is complicated because Rwandans have to always strive to deal with their inherent problems as well as those caused by others:
“We have secured the right to be, and nobody will take away that; for those who will attempt, it will be very expensive for them. There is a line you cannot cross. We shall never be apologetic for standing up for our rights. To be humble is in our culture, but we are very firm too, and nobody should attempt to take our right to be, or tell us what to be.”
President Kagame said that if it comes to asking Rwandans to take a choice between money and the right to be, Rwandans would choose the latter.
“God created us equal and for those who want people to bow to them, they are in the wrong place in Rwanda. It’s the wrong thing to belittle people, and it’s difficult in Rwanda because Rwandans cannot accept this. They belittled people and we are not people to be belittled. We have fought for our freedom from childhood.”
President Kagame asked Rwandans to be resolute because time ahead was difficult:
“We have built the capacities for this. The hardships and lessons we have learnt should not go to waste.”
President Kagame’s address brought to a conclusion to two days of interactive discussions between the leadership and the people who attended the meeting and those who participated through call-ins, short messages and social media platforms.
The executive Secretary of the National Commission to fight genocide, Jean de Dieu Mucyo made a presentation on achievements and plans on prevention and fight against genocide ideology, as well as its denial and preserving its evidences.
A total of 20 recommendations were derived from the various submissions made by different people in attendance and through different mediums used during the two-day meeting.