Kigali, 7 August 2013
President Kagame today addressed members of the RPF bureau politique at a meeting to select party representatives for the upcoming legislative elections.
President Kagame began urged the RPF leadership to remain focused on achieving even more to benefit all Rwandans:
“We can be happy about progress made but the road ahead is still long. We cannot lose strength. We must build upon our achievements and work hard for sustainability and continuity.”
Speaking on RPF ideology, President Kagame called on members to never lose sight of the responsibility to deliver for Rwandans:
“The foundation of RPF is about facing our challenges. RPF must set itself apart. We must ask more from ourselves. We must deliver on our promises and work together as one party to achieve our targets.”
President Kagame asked members to remain steadfast:
“The struggle continues in different forms. We cannot afford to become complacent. Complacency will not solve genocide ideology or poverty. Complacency will not provide security for all Rwandans or build our future for us.”
President Kagame pointed to the injustice and incoherence sometimes inherent in international assistance and urged RPF members to stand up for themselves and their nation:
“They say they want us to move forward but when we do, we are punished for it as if we have committed a crime. They tell us they are here to help us develop but when we take a step forward, we are told we are not meant to think for ourselves or do anything on our own. We should not allow ourselves to drift along. We should stop, think and be empowered to continue on the trajectory of progress.”
In preparation for the upcoming election set for 16 September, today’s RPF meeting approved the list of 72 members that will represent the RPF. The remaining eight seats on the RPF tickets are reserved for four parties that are in coalition with the RPF. The meeting also approved an amended constitution for the RPF, established new autonomy for youth and women wings and approved the manifesto for the year 2013-2017. The manifesto which builds upon the RPF achievements of the past twenty years aims to build a Rwanda defined by socio-economic development and inclusive governance that gives every Rwandan the right to shape their own future.