Good evening.

I hope everyone is doing well. First of all, we thank you for responding to our invitation.

Secondly, I would like to thank everyone, in their different capacities for their contributions to the journey that has brought us to this day. Even those who were yet to be born when we started our struggle have now joined and also contributed.

Today, 31 years since this journey began, we remember much about its history – how it started, how it took root. But I will not speak of its end, because it never ends.

This day is a very special day. We commemorate it not to bring up new things we do not know, but to remind ourselves what we already know, both the good and the bad, and what led to that. This way, each of us finds a role to play and takes responsibility to ensure that the positive aspects of this day are carried forward.

The reason I said I want to focus on the origins, not the end of this history, is because I want to explain it to the young people who were not yet born, so they may follow the same path and carry it forward. People like you and me may come to an end, but the country remains forever.

What will make the country endure, as I have mentioned earlier, is that whoever is born today, stays on the same trajectory as they grow. That’s the nature of things.

Thirty-one years ago, we arrived here and found nothing. Those who had lived here, were no more. And those who killed them were also part of that emptiness in the country. No person with a conscience and dignity takes the life of another.

Today reminds us of our responsibility to ensure that our tragic history, which should never have happened, never happens again. It happened once, and once is already too much for us. We cannot allow it to happen again.

Sometimes you tell people, but they don’t listen. They have ears but never hear; they have brains but don’t think. But we never stop saying it: what happened to us must never happen again, and it will not happen again. I don’t need anyone’s approval to say this. Whoever understands, understands. Whoever doesn’t, that’s their problem.

Whether they are here in Rwanda or abroad, whether they are Rwandans or not, but they have a connection to our history, I have already told them many times but let me repeat it.

For the past four years, with much noise and uproar, the whole world has been focused on Rwanda. Sometimes I wonder: is this really the Rwanda I know? How can the Rwanda I know be the one that the entire world seems to pile on? It’s a difficult question – how is that even possible?

What exactly has Rwanda done to deserve being condemned by the whole world? What has Rwanda done for the entire world to rise up and denounce and it? Can you honestly answer that question? What exactly has Rwanda done? Unfortunately, the person fighting for survival is the one condemned. But that’s the world we live in.

This war you see in Congo, you all know it, even if each of you may have a different understanding of it – has there ever been a year that passed without us raising the issue of the FDLR, the interahamwe just across the border? Are we fabricating it? Are we lying?

Secondly, has there ever been a time we haven’t spoken clearly and repeatedly about the genocide ideology that still exists in this region, an ideology rooted in what happened here in Rwanda, where people were killed simply for who they were? Is there anyone we haven’t explained that to? Is there a place where it hasn’t been documented, discussed so openly that the whole world acknowledged it, even dedicating a day to it? And now, it’s just brushed aside and vanishes?

Have we ever failed to condemn leaders in this region who take microphones and teach people to hate, to kill others simply because of who they are?

Have we ever stopped explaining the history of how people who speak Kinyarwanda found themselves on the other side of border, only to be treated as foreigners in those very countries? How is that Rwanda’s fault?

How can events that happened before I was even born, or just after my birth, be blamed on me, or on someone my age? How does that make any sense?

How is it possible that what we say every day about the security of our country, gets twisted into talk about minerals? How does it shift from concerns about national security to accusations that Rwanda is in Congo, or that we’re acting out of greed, especially in relation to our border with Congo?

And some of our neighbors, let’s not forget, are the same ones allied themselves with the interahamwe, even back then. They faced the consequences, and we will confront them again, if needed. There’s no question about it.

Those accusing us of being driven by minerals in everything we do – defending ourselves, protecting our people, safeguarding our nation – are the same rich countries looting Congo’s minerals.

Like I said before, they sit comfortably somewhere, they pressure others with talk about “human rights,” wanting to intimidate me, saying, “If Kagame speaks, we’ll take him…” Take me where, exactly? Where will you find me?

They say: sanctions, sanctions… James Kabarebe… sanctions, officers, sanctions, sanctions. For what? You are just foolish, absolutely foolish.

Anybody dares to just show up and start giving lessons. You see a little boy, a little girl, just because they are from Europe, America, or Canada, suddenly they are there giving lessons. What lessons? What lessons does anybody have to give to me about my life, about my country, about my people?

That is absolute stupidity. We cannot be driven on that basis. If there is anybody who has not understood the message we have given them over the years, well, we are waiting to see what you will do.

In the recent months, you saw again, the whole world was watching.  Mercenaries  came from Europe, other confused brothers and sisters from our continent sent in arms, weapons and soldiers to support a government that’s killing its own people, that supports genocidaires – people who killed our people here.

One million people we lost in 100 days, were murdered by the same bastards. Of course, sometimes supported by these same people who give lessons.

So they came and gathered along our border. If you people knew the stories of what was found in Goma, in Bakavu, and so on, you would understand it. You would understand that the issue was not about fighting the so-called AFC/M23, it was aimed at Rwanda. You ask them what happened.

What happened was only a fraction of what actually we could do. The same people you have been seeing, after making sure that they cannot to do any harm to us, and they gave up, we gave them passage through here to go back home.

We gave me them passage, we gave them security, we made sure they went back home. But they could have perished if they really put up a fight, there is no question about it. I’m saying it now, and for tomorrow, if anybody attempts – you will see it. I’m not bragging, I’m just saying the truth for whoever wants to listen. If you have other ideas then, we shall sort it out. This is why I said it happened to us once, and once is too many, it will not happen again.

You used to hear people saying that they have power, they have capacity, they have everything they need to even threaten this capital where all of us are now, from a distance. We told them we may not have that capacity ourselves, we will find you there.

We have capacity, you do not know. We can walk 2000 kilometres from here, fighting, if and when we have to fight. The rest are just stories.

These  people who tell you nonsense, that they have drones, that they will come and attack Rwanda – we will find you where you are launching those drones from.

What we have said many times before is simply: please, there’s no need to attack us, there is no need to threaten us, we don’t threaten you, we don’t wish you anything bad, if you can’t cooperate with us, if you don’t want us to work together, please leave us alone.

Those who say they will not give us their money, yes, it is your money, give it whoever you want. Take it away and give it to whoever you want. Do we need money? Absolutely. Some of it we get from those who become partners one day and another day they are something else.

Yes, that money when it comes I assure you, you’ll not find a place that puts that money to good use more than we do. You right to come and ask me where did you put our money? I will show you. I will show you where we put your money. I will show you the roads,  I will show you the hospitals, I will show you the schools, I will show you everything.

I’m saying all of this for a purpose. Its for you Rwandans, the young and old, to make sure this has a meaning to you, and you also have something to contribute towards that fight. It’s a fight that you should be proud of. You are not a bunch of sheep that must be herded to a slaughterhouse.

But there are, unfortunately, some Africans who have accepted defeat. I don’t accept it, you shouldn’t accept it. You should never accept it.

The number of people who sacrificed everything, stood up and fought could have easily done other things. But their name, their dignity, their country, their self-respect, even for those who don’t respect them to just know, they gave everything they had, and those were their lives.

Rwandans, I’ve gone into these details to tell you directly that you should never be the ones to accept nonsense. Anyway, why should people fear giving it a fight? You fear death? You fear to be killed?

But you’re killed, slowly and surely, and as naked as you were born, and you go to your grave. I would rather go to my grave giving it a fight. Is there anyone who will not find their ticket to that grave? Not a single individual.

So how I go there matters. What you do, how you live, the life you live whether short or long matters. And for you to allow a fellow human being to treat you like nobody, like you have no value. Why? Why would you except it? Why can’t you get this message over the 31 years we’ve been here fighting every day?

The only language you should understand is cooperation. Cooperate, work together. We hold ourselves accountable, or hold each other accountable in our relationship. But for you to be over me, wagging a finger at me, I will break it.

Some people think being in this position or having gone through this struggle and endured all kinds of hardships is very difficult and something feel sympathetic. Please just know, you don’t have to feel sympathetic. I’m just proud of having been part of this journey, I feel it.

In fact I even sometimes I ask myself:  if I hadn’t got this opportunity to be there and giving everything for a good fight whenever that is required, how else would I lived my life?

I’m asking myself every day, what else could have given me the satisfaction, the pride. Looking somebody in the eyes and say: you know what,  you’re like me, we are just human beings, you are not above me. You want us to sit down and have a discussion, absolutely. But to trumple on me, and later on a nation… I’m happy to have not lived in that world that accepts it.

Today, 31 years on,  it’s not just that we removed the killers and we took over. No, we’re not just new people in our thinking, in our existence, we are new people because we have changed things, and towards what they should be.

So don’t let anyone be allowed to take us back years in history. Because then, for those who believe in God, what will you tell God? That where were you, when you allowed thugs to take over a country and run it down and kill people.

I’m challenging those who believe in this – I will not tell you which side I’m on – but I think those who believe in this accountability after life, you should really make sure you do the right things, for when you are there and being asked to account. For me, I’m prepared with my notes in my pocket. When they say: hey what did you do? I say: Sir, this is what I did. I will apologise for my shortcomings, but I think largely there is something I will show for it.

So please be happy tonight, remember this whole journey. Remember your responsibilities individually and collectively and do yourselves, and your nation proud.

God bless you all.