Good morning. I am very happy to have this opportunity to talk with you after such a long time. I wish to take this moment to talk about the times we have gone through since the last time we met.

Originally, I had hoped that we would meet as we had before. I envisioned many citizens coming together so that I could have the opportunity to greet you and express my gratitude. However, due to the rainy season, I realized it wouldn’t be ideal to gather 300,000 or 400,000 people, only for them to be caught in the rain and for us to lose the opportunity to have a meaningful conversation. That’s why we decided to invite a smaller group, along with the representatives from all districts who are here. I believe that what we discuss here will also reach others who are not physically present with us.

Let me once again take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude, especially to those of you here and to those listening. Our journey has various strategies – strategies that I speak of as both the real struggle, the strategic mindset, and the actions we must take to advance our country and our people. The real struggle, as you have heard, is continuous. It is that ongoing struggle – the one of resilience, the one we live by, and that is how our history has shaped us. It is about constantly being engaged in this struggle, which has many facets: Ndandambara (Fear not).

Starting with the basics – such as development, infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, and livestock, as well as supporting the less fortunate so they too can progress, and our relations with other countries, both within our region and internationally – all of these are areas in which you have played a role. These sectors have advanced remarkably, and for that, I thank you and all our partners. This is how it should be, and we can even improve further.

However, as I speak, I am aware that our history is complicated in such a way that some of those you call friends or partners, on one hand, offer you support, and take away from you what you have with another hand. The reason for this is to ensure you remain in that cycle, neither dying nor fully succeeding. They want you to stay stuck in that state, neither thriving nor perishing. However, even if you allow them to look at you for a moment, dying means nothing to them. What I’m saying is true. We often talk about it. Anyone who doubts this does not know what the world is truly like.

Now, I want to talk to you about the times we are in, so that you can build upon what I have just said. The times we are in reflect what I mentioned earlier about those who are called our friends, partners, and others. When we look at history and their actions, and their relations with us, and here I am specifically referring to Rwanda. Although if you analyze this further, it affects the whole of Africa.

This is how we live, this is how we interact, and this is how they want us to continue to be. In such a context, there should be a choice. For us as Rwandans, or for other Africans, it is easy to stay in the middle, neither dying nor living beyond the ordinary way most people live. It requires nothing from you, you don’t have to pay anything. But I knew that Rwandans had made a choice, and so had other Africans who are trying. We are all trying, depending on the willingness and effort people put into it. Our history, just looking at the past 30 years, is marked by the years that came before it, with the hardship that our country and our people went through.

You remember our people we lost, and it is fitting that I mention this as we approach April, the month we commemorate. Some who were primarily involved in the history that led to Rwanda being left in such a state, who were not Rwandans, and they played a role even greater than that of the Rwandans themselves in the events that unfolded. They are the same people who continue to pursue us today, denying us peace, and even blaming us for leaving a place they claimed as ours, where one neither lives nor dies. They want to show us that they can take us back to that very place.

Now, let me speak about the present time and the wars in the Congo. Our neighbors, with whom we have shared misfortunes, and indeed, we share the same fate. However, they have chosen not to understand. Our shared misfortune is that we were colonized by Belgium.  Belgium tore Rwanda apart, dividing it so that it could weaken it.

Belgium killed Rwanda, it killed Rwandans, and it continues to haunt us, coming back to harm the survivors, and it keeps killing us again and again. We warned them before, and we will warn them again, even now. This war in Congo, people have come to associate it with Rwanda, but it is not Rwanda that started it. Rather, what those who initiated the war wanted is what we are fighting against, and that is what I will explain to you. This war has its roots, and it keeps returning to the history I just mentioned.

Some Rwandans found themselves on the other side of the borders we know today. It is not Rwanda that took them there. It is not Rwanda that took Rwandans to a place called Kisoro in Uganda, nor is it Rwanda that took Rwandans to Masisi, Rucuru, or elsewhere. So, in this case, when they find themselves there, people from these countries tell them to rise up and go back to where they belong, to Rwanda. If you want to do that, then send them back along with the land they have always been on. But if you are seeking the truth or desiring peace, as everyone else does, you must give people their rights. Without a doubt, if you do not respect their rights, if you do not give people their rights, they will fight for them.

Then, when you incorporate Rwandans in that, what else can we do? We will stand up and fight back. If you do not have resources, just as ours also have their limits, you must have a determination that knows no bounds, and whatever little resources you have. This current war, which I believe has lasted over 3 years, did not originate in Rwanda, not at all. But those genocidal forces you hear about every day, that you see every day, and recently, some of those were handed over by fighters from the eastern part of Congo. You saw them on TV, and some you saw with your own eyes.

These people killed people here – a man named Gakwerere killed people, he killed relatives, he killed Rwandans. But he is not the only one. He was just the one who was captured recently, while others died in battle. When you mention FDLR, when you mention Interahamwe, they ask: “But how many of them are there?” How many do you want there to be for it to become a problem? Gakwerere, the one who was captured recently, along with those with him, others who lost their lives, and those still in the forests, can represent many, because they represent an ideology of genocide.

They even went there and rallied support, and some leaders in Congo even supported it, teaching hate on radio stations, and they killed people in broad daylight. You saw it publicly, in places like Goma and other areas. Yet these people who claim to stand for human rights seem to believe in human rights for some, but not for others – those can die. Can you imagine putting me in that group and accepting it? Can you put people in a group that is meant to die, and they accept it, just waiting to be killed? Is everything just about dying then? I can die while fighting you. You can’t find me just waiting for you to kill me. That is what I am trying to show: all people, all of humanity, are equal. No one is superior to another. You can’t come and decide the value of my life, whether I live or die. Can you do that to me? No.

The people fighting in Congo, how long have they been persecuted? In fact, people tend to ignore the agreements made years ago. This war, which happened just recently in 2022, had already happened in 2012. Ten years passed, and the war started again. But even during that time in 2012, and before that, these people had reached agreements with the governments that were in place, and they agreed on many things, but not a single one of those agreements was ever implemented. But on agreements, it meant that people accepted that they had the truth and deserved to be given what they were owed. But recently, things got mixed up. The ideology I was talking about came into play, and then the government of Congo got involved. It also involved other Africans, and I don’t know how that came to be. They started siding with the government to help it kill its own people. They sided with the Interahamwe to help them rebuild.

Don’t think that the Interahamwe being around since 1994 is just an accident. No, there have always been others behind them, like those who were behind the killings before here in Rwanda. When they went on killing people here in Rwanda, they had sympathisers. They are the ones who raised them, accompanied them, and they continued to exist to this day.

The UN forces – how many thousands were there? The UN was even in Rwanda. Back in the day, I used to hear people talk about it. Even when I was growing up, I would hear them mention the UN in Rwanda. And even today, they are still in Rwanda, and still in Congo, that’s how it is. Supporting those who kill people among us, so that we remain not truly living, not truly thriving.

Now, what is the issue that always involves Rwanda, even today? What is it about?
I’ll start where I told you about Gakwerere, who was brought along with others. How long have they been there? Almost 30 years.

We kept telling the whole world about the issue of these Interahamwe: the constant threats we face, the constant threats to Rwanda. We were attacked at the border, they crossed over, and they launched bombs that killed people, such as in Kinigi and everywhere else. People tell us that it’s nothing, meaning it’s not enough. It’s like saying what you’re experiencing is not enough, you should be seeing more than this.

That’s what they were planning just recently. What they were planning was not just about supporting the Interahamwe and opposing the Congolese who were being denied their rights, it was also about attacking Rwanda. And it was being said openly. The President of Congo openly said it, saying that he wants to attack Rwanda, that he would change Rwanda as he wishes. He would say it, and after some time, thinking they hadn’t heard him, he would repeat it, and repeat it for a third time.

And people were telling us: “Is he even capable of doing it, why should you let it bother you?” He says this while recruiting Interahamwe and giving them weapons. Some are coming to help him, including people from Europe, called mercenaries. These mercenaries, I hadn’t seen them for a long time. But they brought them here. You saw them too. But we can’t really blame them, they don’t even know the geography, they don’t know how this region is organized, they don’t know its history. They were just sent here to fight. These mercenaries came from Europe to fight against Black people. And now, they arrive here and dare to pick and choose among people, saying: “This one is this, that one is that.”

While we are told that according to international law, mercenaries have a specific definition, and they are not permitted in this region, because they are fighting against Rwanda or helping the Interahamwe, at that moment, they become acceptable. That’s how they came. But even before the war, and during the war, we did everything we could to tell people that this would lead to problems, that it would cause us problems, and that we would not accept it, that we would do everything possible to fight against it.

Now, those things you see happening, they accuse us all day long. Do you know the term “Gukoronga” (abuse) in Kinyarwanda? Are you familiar with it? That’s what they constantly do to us.

They keep saying Rwanda supports M23, but never that the Government of DRC supports the FDLR, which wants to come back and kill people here. Do you think those who say this don’t know what they’re talking about? They know exactly what they’re saying. It’s a deliberate choice. Their goal is to put Rwanda in a difficult position and sanction it as they please. And in the end, it’s always the same people involved: those who colonized Rwanda, Burundi, and Congo. At first, they tried to unite the other two countries against Rwanda, but things are starting to become clearer little by little, and I don’t want to dwell too much on this subject. We are moving forward and seeking to coexist peacefully with one of the two countries I just mentioned.

So Belgium, which colonized these three countries, they go to Kinshasa, point fingers at Rwanda, and announce that they are going to sanction us, trying to convince the whole world to do the same. But honestly, don’t they feel ashamed? The real shame should begin when they call on the entire world to gang up against Rwanda, a small country like ours. And yet, we who are sitting here have to face a global attack? Shouldn’t that be shameful for some people? Why don’t they leave us in peace while we fight to survive, to exist as we see fit? Are we supposed to be punished simply because we exist, we may have the same size, but they have more powerful allies than we do? But don’t think this started with this war: no, it has been going on for a long time. Even before this war began, it never stopped. And we have always denounced it. I always tried to ignore it and move forward.

First, they rejected our ambassador, claiming they didn’t want him, that he hadn’t served Congo’s interests well. And that’s why we must be sanctioned? Then they come back with even more conditions: “You can’t do this, you can’t do that.” But who are they to dictate their will to us? Who gave them authority over us? Rwandans, you believe in God, don’t you? Was it God who gave them power over Rwanda? These people? The same ones? We will remind them that this is not the case. With our means, however modest they may be, we will defend ourselves. I am talking about those who spend their time harassing and oppressing us. But do they really think they can crush us? No, they cannot defeat us!

There are certain things they will have to give up and leave us alone. I say this as a warning, but I also want to remind Rwandans: after all these years spent rebuilding our country, we want to be Rwandan. We do not want to be Belgian. Those who have not yet understood this must realize that we must be ourselves. We must be Rwandan. We must not be like those who colonized us. We must rid ourselves of that completely so they can leave us alone. I speak to you plainly, without hiding anything, because this is our path to be ourselves. We cannot be anyone else, we must be ourselves.

We must live with others, promote peace, and dedicate ourselves to our development and progress. That is what we must prioritize. This is how I feel, and I don’t know if anyone here sees it differently. We Rwandans must be united and understand that the path we have taken is to strengthen us. Our different ideas must come together to serve our country so that we can resist those who want to destroy us. And I want to tell you one thing: being yourself is hard. It is exhausting. It takes effort. Liberating this country was a difficult challenge. Some gave the most precious thing, the most valuable thing: their own lives.

These men and women, these Rwandans, accepted to give their lives so that our country could be what it is today. Some people might reach a point where they think they should take the easy way out. But no! We must choose the path that demands effort, the one we call “kufunga mkanda” in Swahili. Do you know what that means? It means tightening our belts, like preparing to face hunger, to keep our pants from falling because we are hungry. We, Rwandans, must be ready to kufunga mkanda.

But it’s not just about tightening our belts. We must fight for our rights. We must defend our right to exist and to prosper. This is not about willpower, because we already have that. Those people who are shouting everywhere, pointing fingers at us, threatening us with sanctions: are we going to die because of sanctions?

Besides, who are the ones calling for sanctions? Often, they are the very people responsible for the problems. And why do they demand these sanctions? When you ask them, they don’t even have a clear answer. They tell you: “I don’t know, the Belgians told us there was a problem.” You see? They make decisions not because they know what is happening but because someone else, with their own interests, told them to do so.

And when you ask them what we should do to avoid these sanctions, they never give a satisfactory answer. They will never dare to tell you to ignore the genocidaires. They can’t say, “Forget about them, forgive them, even if they killed your people, and will come back tomorrow to attack you.”

Do you know how many refugees we have here? Thousands who fled the violence from the other side. And we are told to do nothing? To leave them in the hands of those who chased them away and continue to persecute them? Is that acceptable? What century are we living in? Because this looks like a time we thought was long gone. Rwandans, what I want to tell you today is the truth. Everyone can speak as they wish, do what they want, but we must stay on our path. We must continue to build our nation without provoking anyone, without seeking conflict. But when someone wants to kill you, what do you do?

I hear some teachings like if someone strikes you on one cheek, you should turn the other. But I do not share that view. That is not my philosophy. If someone hits me, if they are lucky, they might get out alive. That is my belief. If someone strikes me here, I strike back wherever I can.

We must continue to build our country, our unity, our strength, and our good relations with others, whether they are our neighbors or far away. We want to live in peace with them. But they must also give us the peace we need.

Do you know what a failed state is? Our country was supposed to disappear. It was not supposed to become a nation again. So, some were surprised, even unhappy, to see that we got back on our feet. It was like a resurrection.

But going back to where we were before? No! Unless you never lived through that time, no one would want to return there. That is why we must do everything to ensure that it never happens again. We must keep moving forward despite those who want to slow us down or prevent us from succeeding.

We must continue to build our country and accelerate economic and social development. As for civil servants and leaders in different institutions, you must be more vigilant. Some neglect their responsibilities and say, “I forgot,” “I thought it wasn’t important.” We must close these gaps because they weaken us.

When you are under pressure, you must not give in or give up. That pressure should give you the strength to persist. You must refuse to be brought down and use all your strength to keep moving forward. That is what I wanted to share with you today. We are in the midst of a struggle. We must fight together. But I have always said: if we survived that time, then nothing can defeat us today.

There is absolutely nothing, that can happen today that is worse than what we have already endured. That is why you must not be afraid of anything. Let me remind you of the elderly woman who stood up to the Interahamwe. They asked her, “How should we kill you? Should we shoot you? Stab you?” She looked them in the eye and cursed them. That is the spirit we should have. When someone tries to kill you, you have every right to defend yourself.

I will stop here for now.

Thank you.