The RPF Chairman, President Paul Kagame has called upon Rwandans never to accept being brought down to their knees, saying that whatever challenges the country has gone through has made its people stronger and resilient.
He was speaking on Saturday while opening the 16th National Leadership Retreat (umwiherero), which is taking place at the RDF Combat Training Centre in Gabiro, Gatsibo District.
Speaking about those that harbour intentions of destabilising the country, the Head of State said that Rwandans may not have control of what is happening beyond the country’s borders, but must have control of what is happening within the country.
“You can attempt to destabilize our country, you can do us harm, there are many things people who wish you ill can do, you can shoot me with a gun and kill me. But there is one thing that is impossible. No one can bring me to my knees,” the Chairman told the leaders.
The retreat, which happens annually, has brought together hundreds of senior leaders in public and private sectors.
“In our environment, we have had enough challenges, to not learn lessons from that, to not be inspired by that, to not be pushed by that to the extreme, to doing as much as you can, sometimes even attempting to do what is seemingly impossible,” he said.
The four-day retreat will centre around themes within focus on a sustainable transition to more secure livelihoods and an exit from poverty; strengthening efforts in human capital to improve outcomes in education and health care; driving upward economic growth through increased productivity in agriculture; and boosting exports.
He reminded the leaders that the progress registered by the country in the last 25 years should not make them complacent, but rather propel them to do more to deliver to the citizens.
“I cannot understand it Even when we have made progress, that you can afford to be so careless to let it go to waste. Why don’t we sustain it or make sure we are conscious about protecting what we have achieved?” He asked.
Umwiherero is an annual gathering where Rwandan leaders reflect on the country’s progress and strategize on accelerating delivery of national priorities.
