Author: John Mbaraga

Kagame arrived in Djibouti Thursday at the invitation of his Djiboutian counterpart President Ismail Omar Guelleh.

The newly completed industrial area is Djibouti’s pilot free trade zone. It will provide comprehensive solutions to companies operating in the services, trade and manufacturing industries and is set to attract businesses from across the African continent and the world.

The area, which will span over a total 48 square meters after expansion, is one of the largest free trade zones in Africa and will welcome other industries such as the automotive industry and home electrical industries.

At the event Kagame said he is optimistic that the facility will not only serve Djibouti, but the whole continent.

“I just wanted to say how happy I am to be joining you Mr President and our brothers and leaders from this region for the inauguration of this very important facility that will not only serve Djibouti but also the wider region of our continent,” he said.

“We are behind you in the realisation of this project and I am sure it will serve us all, even as far south as Rwanda and beyond,” Kagame added.

The Djiboutian Free Trade Zone will benefit the whole continent, under the auspice of the African Union, 49 African nations – including Djibouti recently signed the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a trade agreement aimed to create a single market for African countries.

Rwanda and Djibouti enjoy strong bilateral ties in several key areas including; air transport, trade and investment, and ICT.

The two countries also partner to advance regional integration. In 2013, Djibouti offered Rwanda a 20-hectare piece of land at the port of Djibouti, and the latter was in reciprocity offered a plot of land in the Kigali Special Economic Zone.

The Head of State was speaking yesterday in Kigali at the 24th Liberation Day Party he hosted with First Lady Jeannette Kagame.

Kagame hosted the party following the celebration of the Liberation Day on national level in an event that took place in Muhanga District, Southern Rwanda.

Speaking to youth below 24 years, Kagame reminded them that where the country has reached today is a result of many sacrifices. He also requested them not to let the country to ever go back.

“Never forget that we are here as a result of hard work, sacrifices, people losing their lives. The future is in your hands and if you allow it to go backwards, history will not forgive you,” Kagame told the youth below 24 years old.

In Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) Liberation struggle, youth sacrificed their lives and played vital role fighting the genocidal government which resulted in stopping the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and re-building the nation.

The Rwf21 billion model village was launched at the celebration of 24th anniversary of national Liberation.

Sat on the surface of 56 hectares, the village was constructed under the government’s programme to fight against effects of disasters across the country.

Kagame said the houses would be the foundation to help beneficiaries transform their lives.

“We are not building to see it falling apart in a year. Giving citizens a home is about providing a foundation to build on and transform your lives. It is not about citizens becoming eternally dependent on government,” he said.

“We want to see those who were given homes prosper. You should not expect government to take care of all your needs. The next step should not be helping the same people over and over but to move on to helping others.”

Dubbed Horezo, the model village has 25 houses, a Twelve-Year Basic Education School, an Early Childhood Development center, a health post and a multipurpose center.

Kagame told residents that access to infrastructure is their rights from the government.

“Access to electricity, water and other services provided by government is your right, you should hold us accountable and demand that we deliver. Do not accept to pay anyone a bribe, delivering and serving you is our duty,” he urged residents.

The village is constructed in four-in-one model and houses are connected to national grid and have solar power systems.

Each family in the village has a cow and bio-gas as well as kitchen garden to help fighting malnutrition.

Kagame was speaking Wednesday in Rongi Sector of Muhanga District at the celebration of 24th anniversary of liberation of the country from genocidal government.

Rongi sector is made up of former Nyakabanda and Nyabikenke Communes. In 1997-1999, the region was disturbed by invaders mostly dominated by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi perpetrators who had fled the country.

Kagame hailed people’s role in fighting back the invaders and requested them to keep the momentum of national reconstruction.

“We should cooperate in journey of development in the same way we cooperated during the liberation struggle. This is related to our history. Liberation struggle was worthy and the beginning of rebuilding a developed country,” he said.

“We wish for similar cooperation like that which characterized us during the liberation struggle and related activities which were so complicated; that is how we should cooperate in the economic, social welfare and security journey. Leaders cannot achieve once there is no cooperation between leadership and the people,” he added.

Former Ndiza Commune is home to the former Prime Minister, Jean Kambanda in the government that implemented the genocide.

The adoption by AU follows that of United Nations (AU) in January this year which reflected April 7th every year as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Previously, the UN’s 2003 resolution had been labeling the day as the International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda.

According to Nduhungirehe, the African Heads of State and Government also adopted to change the appellation.

“Following the UN Security Council in April 2014, the African Union Peace and Security Council in April 2017, the UN General Assembly in January 2018, the AU Assembly Heads of State and Government has also decided to correct its terminology on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi,” Nduhungirehe said in a tweet.

The 19th resolution of AU Summit that took place on July 1st and 2nd underlined the importance of Preventing conflicts in Africa and re-affirmed the need to prevent the ideology of hate, genocide and hate crimes in Africa.

The Assembly endorsed the decision of the Peace and Security Council of its 761st session held on 5 April 2017 in Addis Ababa to designate 7th April of each year as the African Union day of Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

The Assembly further endorsed the decision of the same Peace and Security Council that corrected the nomenclature of the Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, to be “The 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda”.

Dubbed ‘Impinganzima’, the complex worth Rwf2 billion was constructed by the Government of Rwanda through the assistance fund for genocide survivors, FARG in partnership with Unity Club.

It was constructed under the programme to facilitate genocide survivors whose families were wiped out during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

In a ceremony to inaugurate the houses on Tuesday, First Lady hailed the elderly also known as Intwaza, for resilience. She said that Rwandans are proud of being their children and will continue to learn from their resilience spirit.

Though the liberation struggle was completed, First Lady said that there are several things which Rwandans need to concentrate on however their abilities are so that they construct the desired country.

“Let’s continue to think about challenges that hamper welfare of Rwandans in general and seek sustainable solutions. This programme to facilitate parents and other vulnerable categories is one of pillars that will help us to construct Rwandan society,” she said.

First Lady thanked local government leaders for efforts in sustaining welfare of survivors and Rwandans in general and called upon more advocacy for genocide against the Tutsi survivors, to encourage Rwandans on embracing unity and reconciliation and to encourage people to reveal whereabouts of the remains of genocide against the Tutsi victims.

{{ Impact of the programme}}

The state minister in charge of social affairs, Dr. Alvera Mukabaramba said that the programme to construct for elderly survivors has positively impacted their lives.
“Since those activities to construct for elderly survivors started, their welfare was improved, they restored hope of life,” she said.

She promised on Local Government Ministry’s help in sustaining well-being of those elderly survivors in paying their medical treatment cost, foodstuffs among other necessities. She said that they will continue to construct for those in similar condition for them to have decent accommodation.

Inaugurated building has four houses which will accommodate 80 elderly survivors. It has a multipurpose hall, business mall and health post.

Thirty-one elderly have already been moved in the houses while others will be moving in later.

Currently, 10 facilities have already been built around the country and accommodate a total of 134 elderly survivors.