The RPF Chairman and the President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame has paid tribute to the Rwanda Defence Forces for their continued engagements in nation building, on top of their core duty of maintaining peace and security in the country.
The Chairman was speaking in Bugesera District at the event to mark the 22nd Liberation Day, which was marked through handing over houses to over 100 residents of Rweru Sector, who were evacuated from the highly risky Mazane Island.
The modern houses and the different amenities were provided by Rwanda Defence Forces in partnership with different partners.
Besides the houses which are all connected to electricity, the residents have in their midst a school with equipped with modern facilities.
“I thank our Defense Forces for their hard work to keep our nation safe,” said the President.
He also used the platform to call for efforts to ensure Rwandans and to a larger extent; Africans own their destiny, saying that one cannot speak about liberation when their destiny is still decided by others.
“True liberation means dignity; it means no one should ever decide for us who we should be… As Rwandans, as Africans, we must be the ones to own and shape our future,” said President Kagame.
He said that after the liberation of the country, the next stage of liberation is to liberate ourselves from any obstacles that stand in the way of development
He told Rweru residents: “Having access to drinkable water, electricity and a home to sleep should not feel like a miracle. It is your basic right.”
The 100 are the first batch of people to be evacuated from the remote island and upon completion of the project; over 400 residents will be brought to mainland to be able to access basic services that they have lacked for generations.
Besides those from Mazane, others to be brought to mainland are from Shalita which is also from the same lake.
The Liberation Struggle that ended on July 4 1994, was launched and championed by the armed wing of the RPF Inkotanyi, the Rwanda Patriotic Army that not only rescued the country from shacked of decades of misrule, but also stopped the Genocide against the Tutsi, which was perpetuated by the government of the day.