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Kigali, Rwanda | THE INDEPENDENT & TIMES OF RWANDA | President Paul Kagame has started delivering his inaugural speech after being sworn-in at Amahoro Stadium on Sunday.
He warned that, “Peace in our region is a priority for Rwanda. Yet it has been lacking, particularly in eastern DR Congo. “But peace cannot be delivered by anyone from anywhere no matter how powerful if the party most directly concerned doesn’t do what is needed.”
He started his address by thanking Rwandans for renewing their trust and confidence in him during the July 14-16 general election. “It is my greatest honour to serve you, as your president, for another term,” he said.
“Our tragic past ignited a fire in each one of us. The fire of hope, resilience and justice. This is who we have become as Rwandans,” he said.
Over 20 Heads of State are in attendance this afternoon at Amahoro Stadium. Vice President Jessica Alupo is representing President Yoweri Museveni.
Also in Kigali to witness as President Kagame takes the Presidential Oath marking the beginning of his next mandate is Uganda Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Kagame told the world, that “over the past three decades, what Rwandans managed to accomplish is more than we expected. “It is beyond what words can describe, given where we started from.”
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The event took place at the 45,000-seat Amahoro Stadium filled to its full capacity with attendees including Rwandans from across the country and leaders from various countries who included 22 Heads of State, four Vice Presidents, two Prime Ministers, one Deputy Prime Minister, two Speakers of Parliament, and five leaders of international and regional organizations.
He thanked the President João Lourenço of Angola and President William Ruto of Kenya, among others, for everything they have done and continue to do in regards to restoring peace in the region.
However, he noted peace cannot happen all on its own but everyone has to do their 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 and for everybody to have peace and rights, it can’t be a matter of favours being ditched out to people, it’s an obligation.”
In the end when it doesn’t happen that’s when people stand and fight for it, he added.
“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 right and expect to get away with it.”
Kagame highlighted that there has to be a meeting in the middle and a compromise, pointing out that this is the time to reflect on the kind of world in which the children will live in.
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