Kigali, 14 December 2018
President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame today attended the second and last day of this year’s National Umushyikirano Council.
The second day was marked by the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide’s Advisory Council which discussed the status of the fight against genocide ideology, preservation of memory for historical clarity, and upholding Rwandan traditional values.
The day also put an emphasis on the importance of building a nation of resilient and self-reliant communities through sustainable saving culture. “Ejo Heza”, a new long-term saving scheme was launched.
In his closing remarks, President Kagame called on leaders from various public institutions and beyond to renew their determination and dedication to fulfill their responsibility to move the country forward.
“We have seen that transformation is possible. We have to choose the pace at which we want it to happen and reflect this pace in everything that we do. We should not be resigned to living in poverty, whether poverty of spirit or financial poverty. We have committed to lifting our citizens out of poverty. As leaders, you must understand the weight of this responsibility. Resources cannot just be spent on salaries and per diem. This must stop,” President Kagame said in his closing remarks.
After the closing of this year’s National Umushyikirano Council, the Head of State held a Press Conference where he interacted with local, regional, and international members of the press on issues pertaining to national security, regional integration, universal healthcare, African Union Chairmanship, among others.
Umushyikirano is a forum for national dialogue provided for by the Constitution where Rwandans gather to assess issues related to the state of the nation, the functioning of the decentralized structures, and national unity.
This year’s Umushyikirano was attended from over 2,000 participants including Rwandans from different corners of the country and representatives of the Rwandan community abroad, leaders from both public and private institutions, civil society organizations, members of the diplomatic corps, and friends of Rwanda.