{Over five hundred Rwandans and friends of Rwanda yesterday gathered at the Rwanda High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya to mark the 22nd anniversary of the liberation.}
In his address, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Ambassador James Kimonyo, thanked Rwandans and their friends living in Kenya who came to mark this historic day.
“Three months ago we gathered to remember and honor the victims of the 1994 Genocide perpetuated Against the Tutsi but now is the occasion to salute brave and selfless men and women of RPF Inkontanyi who put this carnage to an end which marked the beginning of a new journey to build a new Rwanda that belongs to all.
“One of the fundamental requisites for liberation is the determination to fight for it, but that exacts a painful price. We are gathered here today to honor and salute in a very special way the brave men and women of the then RPA who fought in the struggle for freedom and dignity and those who gave their lives to protect innocent civilians and defend the country from total destruction.”
Ambassador James Kimonyo noted that the Liberation struggle was sparked by decades of divisive politics, abuse of fundamental human rights, greed and mass killings perpetuated by colonial administration and post independence successive regimes.
During his remarks, he illustrated the idea behind Liberation struggle by showing a video clip that was filmed in 1991 in which the then Commander in Chief of RPA and Current President Paul Kagame cautioned his troops on why they have to be different from those in the Government they were fighting.
“I decided to make this part of my remarks because I looked back into our struggle and what we have achieved over 22 years, I concluded that all we are celebrating today is the outcome of visionary leadership and its capacity to align the masses behind it.
“As you followed in the video though its in Kiswahili, the Commander of the freedom fighters who is now our President, back then in 1991, he was not talking about regime change but rather was telling his force that if they were fighting to end up behaving the same way as those in the Government they were fighting, then there was no reason for the struggle.”
In this clip, Major General Paul Kagame picked an example of fighting a thief only for you to also end up being a thief.
“The above message by President Kagame in 1991 represents his doctrine and how he has led Rwanda from being a failed to a stable and successful State.” Ambassador Kimonyo concluded.
In his remarks, Hon. Aden Duale, MP for Garissa Township Constituency and Majority Leader of the National Assembly of Kenya who was the chief gust thanked Rwandans and their leadership for resilience that characterized them for the past twenty-two years.
He noted that Rwanda has rewritten its story as evidenced by its rise from ashes to forge on with successfully rebuilding her nation becoming an inspiration to many other countries on the continent.
“The fact Kigali will host the 27th summit of the African Union in the next few days is a testament to this.”
The event to mark 22nd Liberation anniversary in Nairobi was attended by various guests that included Kenya government officials, diplomatic corps and Rwandans living in Nairobi.
It was characterized by traditional dance and performance by Kenyan renowned afro-pop band, Sauti Sol, who in one of their songs appreciates the charisma of President Paul Kagame. The gathering also enjoyed the performance of a popular star Kidumu Kibido.
Leave a Reply