President Kagame holds onto the National Flag as he takes his oath, as the First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, looks on.
Amahoro Stadium broke into a thunderous applause after President-elect Paul Kagame took oath of office in an affair characterised by pomp and pageantry, as more than 45,000 Rwandans watched as the Chief Justice, Dr. Faustin Ntezilyayo presided over the ceremony which was attended by more than 20 Heads of State and Government.
President Kagame, who won the July Presidential elections with 99.18 percent on the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) ticket, arrived at the stadium flanked by the First Lady Jeannette Kagame, as the stadium broke into celebrations, as the crowd shouted ‘Ni wowe, ni wowe’.
Escorted by the heads of the army and police, President Kagame inspected the parade mounted by Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and Rwanda National Police (RNP), which also featured a helicopter flyover and a rare appearance by the country’s special forces
The Head of State went through his oath, word by word, after which the stadium erupted into yet another thunderous applause, after which, the Chief Justice handed him the instruments of power, including the Coat of Arms, Government logo, the National Anthem and the National Flag.
In his acceptance speech, President Kagame thanked Rwandans for showing trust in him, turning up in their millions to show him support during the campaigns and later on voting. The Head of State said the turn up in the campaign period and during the elections was not just a number, but proof of what Rwandans want.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by more than 20 hears of State and Government.
“The electoral campaign was a period of joy and satisfaction for all of us. Millions attended rallies, and almost everyone went to vote. But it isn’t just about numbers. There is a much deeper meaning behind what all of us saw and experienced,”
“That reality is undeniable; it stems from the spirit of togetherness among Rwandans, as well as a shared determination to be the owners of our future. This is exactly what we have been working for all of these years,” he said, adding that the election period affirmed the fact that Rwandans can exercise their choices and rights, much as some deny it.
“Truth speaks for itself. Rwandans showed togetherness and the shared goal of determining our future. We have been fighting for this for many years,” he said, reiterating that over the next five years, Rwandans will achieve even more of their aspirations.
He thanked leaders who showed solidarity by making the effort to attend the swearing-in ceremony and for supporting and working with Rwanda over the past three decades.
“To all our guests, friends, and partners, from near and far, your presence on this important day is deeply meaningful, and greatly appreciated. We are especially grateful to all the Heads of State and Government who have joined us, or sent representatives,” he said, adding that many of the present leaders have accompanied Rwanda and Rwandans throughout this thirty-year journey of rebuilding.
President Kagame thanked leaders who were present for accompanying Rwanda on the thirty-year journey.
President Kagame said that Rwanda’s political process is designed to renew and strengthen the unity and eliminate what divided them in the past, emphasizing that Rwandans are determined and driven to accomplish what they aspire for and their choices should be respected.
The Head of State said that words cannot describe where Rwandans started from after what they went through, adding that the country’s past should ignite the fire among Rwandans to fight for their own dignity, resilience and justice
“This is who we have become as Rwandans,” he said, using the opportunity to highlight some of the intertwining challenges, including crises that define the region and world, continuing to create uncertainties and inequalities, adding however that of all those, peace is the most important of all of them.
In line with that, President Kagame spoke about the situation in the Great Lakes Region, particularly in regard to the situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), once again reiterating the need to address the root causes of the conflict.
“Peace in our region is a priority for Rwanda, yet it has been lacking, particularly in eastern DRC. But peace cannot be delivered by anyone from anywhere, no matter how powerful, if the party most directly concerned does not do what is needed. Without that, the sincere mediation efforts by the mandated regional leaders cannot work as intended,” he said, thanking the Presidents of Angola and Kenya for their efforts in mediating the situation through the Luanda and Nairobi Peace Processes.
“I would like to pause to thank the President of Angola, President João Lourenço, and the President of Kenya, President
William Ruto, among others, for everything they have done and continue to do,”
President Kagame emphasized that each country cannot thrive on its own, calling for concerted efforts to do the right things to achieve and maintain peace and development in the region.
“Peace cannot happen all on its own. We all have to do our part, and the right things, in order to achieve and sustain peace. This should not be seen as a favour to anyone. For anyone to do what is needed for everybody to have peace can’t be a matter of favours being dished out,”
“It is an obligation. In the end, when it doesn’t happen, that’s why people stand up and fight for it,” he said.
President Kagame spoke about regional security in his inaugural speech.
He said it should be understood as a necessity because it is a question of people’s rights, adding that peace cannot be achieved if the rights of some groups of people are disregarded.
For years, President Kagame has spoken about the root causes of the conflict in DRC, which is mainly pegged on one group of people, particularly the Congolese Tutsi, being targeted with ethnic violence and hate speech and pushed out of their rightful land.
“It should be understood as a necessity, because it is a question of people’s rights and there cannot be real peace if those rights are not respected. You can’t wake up one day and decide to deny whoever you want their citizenship rights and expect to get away with it. There has to be a meeting in the middle. There has to be a compromise,” President Kagame said.
President Kagame similarly spoke about the need for countries to come together, rather than be divided based on interest and means, where the most powerful and rich seem to have more leverage than the poor, yet in reality all countries and regions face the same challenges- rich or poor.
“As a global community, we have more in common than we think, and within us we always have the tools to repair, to renew,
and to reset. It does not mean that we have to agree on everything. But we must respect each other’s choices, all of us doing the best we can in our unique contexts,”
“There is no longer room for the powerful to impose their vision about how others ought to live, or to create narratives that falsify the truth. This must always be resisted, even when under pressure,” the Head of State said, pointing out that Rwandans don’t need lessons about how best they should live, adding that Rwandans have a right to determine what they want.
In regard to how Africans are treated, President Kagame said that there is also no possible excuse for injustice, wherever it
occurs, whether committed against Africans, or inflicted by Africans themselves.
“Indeed, we Africans are people who have consistently fought injustice. We don’t need any lessons about how best to do so. And we must all humbly acknowledge the necessity to adapt our political and governance systems to our specific conditions, and the expectations of our citizens,”
“Like everyone else, what matters most to us is to see our people living safe, healthy, and dignified lives. This is imperative, and it is a responsibility that we cannot evade or outsource,” he said, pointing out that these challenges must be tackled head on to the benefit of the ordinary citizens who bear the brunt.
President Kagame reiterated the importance of the African Union (AU), pointing out that over the years, the continental body has been instrumental in building on the common heritage of Africans to forge a more integrated future, where the many voices of Africa can be heard.
“From security, to health, infrastructure, and jobs for youth, we are taking responsibility for our challenges and offering solutions. That is the mindset that brings us closer together and creates positive change over time for everyone,” he said.
President Kagame highlighted that Africa is home to some of the world’s most ancient civilizations and has some of the most youthful population, capable as young people anywhere else.
“Our youth are energetic, innovative, and bold, and they are not afraid to change the status quo for the better, by demanding more of ourselves and from each other. Throughout our campaign here, it was always humbling to hear the slogan “Ni wowe”, meaning “It’s you”. But actually, in reality, it is not me alone, ni mwebwe, ni twese — it’s all of us,”
“That is a mindset that brings positive change for everyone. Africa is home to some of the world’s most ancient civilization but also its most useful population is as capable as you would find anywhere else,”
President Kagame told Rwandans that over the past 30 years, the country achieved a lot, but there is a lot more to do and the new term is for focusing on those particular things, to be achieved
“To think of those things is not dreaming. We can do it. What is most important is for us to be together, to be one,” he said, reiterating his gratitude to Rwandans for showing trust in him, promising to live up to their expectations and deliver.
