Kagame made the remarks as he was closing the 7th African CEO Forum 2019 alongside President Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He was answering a question by Africa Report Magazine’s Chief Editor, Patrick Smith, who was moderating the panel as he asked him on what he thinks will be the solution to problems between Rwanda and Uganda.
Relations between the two countries have been deteriorating in the past two years. Rwanda accuses Uganda of supporting armed groups hostile to the Government of Rwanda including the FDLR and Rwanda National Congress (RNC) and illegally detaining, torturing and harassing its nationals travelling to Uganda among other accusations.
Kagame said that as things stand now, dialogue can’t help in resolving tensions between the two countries and that all the efforts they make seeking solution to the problem are undermined by ‘petty things’.
Kagame said for those outsiders who imagine replacing him with someone else, “it is impossible”.
“If you think that you don’t like President Kagame or Rwanda because you think what should happen in Rwanda is supposed to be dependent on you, your views and decision; this is bad politics,” Kagame said adding: “Whether you like me or not, President Kagame is here as President of Rwanda, it is the business of the people of Rwanda. If they want Kagame they will have him and if they don’t they will remove him.”
“To imagine that because you don’t like Kagame you will change him and put someone else, it is impossible,” he emphasized.
On the issue with Uganda, Kagame said: “It must come to a point where the family must sit and realistically resolve this issue. Continuing to talk about our problems, we come to a point where the best thing is to cooperate and accept each other.”
“To say the least, if we can’t work together as brothers, sisters, friends, we can decide to give each other peace and forget what we have to do together but above all, avoid quarrels that will be destructive because no one will win from any serious quarrel,” Kagame advised.
President Tshisekedi who was also on the panel said that leaders should seek peace between countries they lead as they will leave power but still leave countries as neighbors forever.
“Our countries will be neighbors forever; as leaders, we are here temporarily but our countries will always be there. Conflict with each other is a waste of time, time that could be used to build our countries,” President Tshisekedi reiterated.
On integration, Kagame said: “African people are ahead of their leaders in understanding the importance of integration and practicing it. In some places there is trade going on even with bullets flying. It is the responsibility of leaders that this should not be the case, or be normalized.”
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