Village Urugwiro, 28 June 2010
President Kagame today held a Press conference that brought together members of the public and private media at Village Urugwiro. The President opened proceedings by noting that the country was entering into a campaign period which he said is marked by heightened political activity. “Elections of the head of state all over the world are marked by heightened political activity – that is just the nature of the process. This needs to be guided by set rules, which must be followed by all those interested in participating in the democratic process. However, increased political activity should not be an excuse for criminal provocation and lawlessness,” the President said.
President Kagame said that Rwandans chose through the 2003 Constitution a model of consensus democracy in which would return the country to the horrors of the recent past, permit Rwandans to live peacefully together and create a better future for the children of Rwanda. “One of the most important requirements of our system, for all those who want to participate in the political functioning of our country, is to be fully dedicated to the unity of Rwanda,” he said.
The President said that although the international media may prefer to focus on a few individual “adventurers” in Kigali, what is witnessed on the ground and the feedback that is received from the vast majority of Rwandans is that as a country, a solid and healthy foundation on which people will continue to build on has been established. “I continue to see significant results of the work we have done together as a nation. A few weeks ago I visited the Western province, where I saw clear evidence of this region on the brink of taking off economically. The people I met exhibited a sense of satisfaction, optimism and a new “can-do” attitude. This is something that I have also witnessed at different levels in almost all corners of our country,” The President said.