President Paul Kagame has called on young Rwandans to uphold the country’s values and build on the progress achieved over the past three decades, saying the responsibility for safeguarding Rwanda’s future now rests with the younger generation.
He made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing 769 participants in the 16th cohort of the Indangamirwa Itorero civic education programme at the Rwanda Defence Force Combat Training Centre in Gabiro, Gatsibo District.
Kagame said Itorero was designed to equip young people with a deeper understanding of Rwanda’s history, culture and values, enabling them to face challenges while remaining rooted in their national identity.
“Itorero exists because we chose it as a country. It brings people together to learn about our culture, our values and the principles that prepare them to deal with different challenges wherever they are in the world,” he said.
The President stressed that knowledge alone is not enough without discipline and good character, arguing that integrity enables people to make sound decisions and apply what they have learned for the benefit of themselves and society.
“What you have learned here is intended to instill discipline. Those who embrace these lessons will go far. Those who ignore them may make some progress, but it will not last,” he said.
Reflecting on Rwanda’s history, Kagame said colonialism dismantled the unity that had previously existed among Rwandans and left divisions that persisted long after independence, eventually contributing to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
“The unity we are rebuilding was destroyed during the colonial period, and that destruction was reinforced by the leaders who followed the colonial system,” he said.
He urged participants to continue Rwanda’s path of unity and self-reliance, saying it is their responsibility to ensure the country’s painful history is never repeated.
“You, the young people, must take over from where you found us. This is your time. We are gradually leaving the stage, and we naturally ask ourselves: who is coming after us? What will they be like? The answer is you, whether you like it or not,” Kagame said.
He warned that abandoning the values that have guided Rwanda’s recovery would have consequences for both the youth and the country.
“If you reject this responsibility, the future will be difficult, and you too will bear the consequences. If you embrace it, you will be the first beneficiaries. We will look back and ask whether our children continued on the right path or whether everything that was achieved was wasted. It should never be wasted,” he said.
Kagame concluded by encouraging the participants to deepen their understanding of Rwanda’s history and to carry forward the vision of national unity and development, saying they are the generation that will determine the country’s future.
