Regional
Rwanda’s next stage of liberation in youth‘s hands
On the occasion of celebrating
the 30th anniversary of Liberation Day where thousands of Rwandans and friends
of Rwanda gathered at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, President Paul Kagame said
that the endpoint of the liberation struggle was to build a state in which
every Rwandan is valued, and citizens are always at the center of government
action.
While tasking the youth to
maintain the attitude, Kagame said even though Rwandans have made huge strides
towards this mindset, they must remain vigilant.
“This country is yours to
protect, defend, and make prosperous. It is worth repeating that real
liberation only begins when the guns fall silent. We began that stage 30 years
ago, and we are counting on you, the liberation generation, to take us further.
Rwanda’s struggle today has a bigger scope than just surviving. It is about
living well, with success,” the President said.
“You have the freedom and the
opportunity to live the lives you want. But wherever your life takes you,
remember your duty to uphold the good politics we have built. Speak up, take
part, and give back. Those are the civic values that we want to define the next
generation of Rwandans.”
The fight for Rwanda’s freedom
was partly made successful because the Rwanda Patriotic Front fighters well
understood the cause of their fight. They were guided with strong principles
and convictions.
Rwanda's liberation in 1994
was not merely the capture of Kigali on July 4 and stopping the 1994 Genocide
against the Tutsi. It was the beginning of a new era – an era that was by then
hard to picture as the country and its population had been razed to ground by
the Genocidal regime.
A generation of young men and
women had to start from nothing and build a country. They knew exactly what
they stand for and they believed in themselves. They did and, today, they are
the older generation.
Through immense sacrifice, the
older generation built a new Rwanda that is beaming with potential and their
hard work is part of Rwanda’s liberation journey.
However, for continuity, the
torch of responsibility passes on to the youth, a generation exceeding 70
percent of Rwanda’s population. A generation that is well educated, empowered,
and equipped with the ability to lead.
President Paul Kagame, himself
a youth at the time of the liberation struggle, led a group of young resilient
and determined men and women in liberating Rwanda. Today, his message to young
Rwandans is clear; to carry on the liberation struggle, inherit the mantle,
fueled by the conviction that they, like him, can propel Rwanda towards a
brighter future.
This conviction stems from a
powerful belief: the youth, equipped with knowledge and empowered by the
sacrifices of the past, possess the very tools needed to shape Rwanda's
destiny.
For this journey to be
achieved, the youth must be guided with discipline, hard work, principles of
patriotism and a firm grasp of the values that underpinned liberation.
Beyond the principles and
values, Rwanda’s new generation must ensure the liberation struggle initiated
by the older generation is not fruitless, but nurtured towards a prosperous
future.
Rwandan youth are reminded
each day that they must uphold Rwanda’s unity, build a culture of excellence,
ensure accountability and transparent as well advance sustainable development,
among others.
These principles are not mere
words. They are the cornerstones upon which Rwanda has been built to what it is
today. Rwanda’s new generation is not simply made up of inheritors, but
architects, tasked with shaping a future built on the bedrock of the past.
This is why, at the 29th
liberation, President Kagame said “To the young generation, it is your time to
pick up from where the country has been brought and do your part to make sure
that the fruits of the sacrifices of the previous generation are not wasted.
The journey to transforming Rwanda requires us to stay the course, stand up for
who and what we are, and sustain the resilience we need to build the nation all
Rwandans deserve.”
Like Alexander Hamilton once
said, “He who stands for nothing will fall for anything.” His statement
strongly resonates with Rwanda's story of liberation and the journey it
continues to take.
Hamilton's wisdom is a stark reminder that Rwanda’s youth must have something to stand for and that is national unity, excellence, accountability, and sustainability.