At the conclusion of the 20th National Umushyikirano Council, President Paul Kagame delivered a powerful message, urging Rwandans not to allow themselves to be sidelined or dictated to by others.
Kagame stressed that knowledge and talent alone are not enough, emphasizing that progress requires initiative, decisive action, and self-reliance.
“Good ambitions do not automatically produce results. Once you have the knowledge and ability but fail to deliver, it means there is a problem,” he said, highlighting that even when technical capacity exists, outcomes falter if effort and accountability are lacking.
The President called on citizens to recognize that they hold the keys to their own development and must not wait for others to chart their path.
He cautioned against complacency and the habit of blaming historical injustices, such as colonialism or the slave trade, for present-day shortcomings.
“We keep ourselves moving in circles. We know the problems and their solutions, but we just don’t care to make ourselves better. Rwandans must act decisively within their own spaces and refuse to allow anyone to exploit passivity or dependence,” Kagame emphasized.
Earlier in the dialogue, on Day 1, Kagame addressed regional peace, noting ongoing conflicts in the Great Lakes region and expressing frustration with the international community and the UN, which he said have not done enough to prevent or resolve these crises.
He stressed that while external actors have a role, Rwandans must take ownership of their own security and work collectively to address regional instability.
Kagame also spoke on regional resources, pointing out that Rwanda would be exponentially wealthier if it profited from the minerals of neighboring countries through exploitation.
“Rwanda would be 100 times richer if we were to steal Congo’s minerals, but that is not who we are,” he said, emphasizing the importance of pursuing legitimate, sustainable development rather than shortcuts that compromise ethics and sovereignty.
Acknowledging global challenges, he noted that while some problems lie beyond national control, Rwanda has the capacity to solve its internal challenges.
“There are many problems in the world, and we cannot solve all of them, but we have the ability to solve our own problems,” he said, urging citizens to act where they can, collaborate with neighbors where possible, and focus their energy on building the nation from within.
The 20th Umushyikirano, a milestone in Rwanda’s two-decade dialogue tradition, concluded with a renewed call for citizens to drive the country’s progress through their collective effort, initiative, and accountability.
