Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

Hundreds of thousands of supporters gathered with great morale and joy praising him for social development activities put in place by his government.

One speaker after another poured out heartfelt gratitude for developmental programs such as the school feeding program, gender inclusion, reliable health services and other infrastructure facilities that have collectively brought sustainable development to the area.

One Mukamerika Marie Rose, who was the first to speak, praised Kagame’s leadership for giving a platform that allowed her family to end poverty and enable her four children to access quality education.

“You did not only introduce the school feeding program which allowed children to have a meal from school but also thought about teachers and increased their salaries,” she said in reference to a recent salary increment for teachers of up to 80 per cent.

A teacher herself, Mukamerika’s testimony went as far as highlighting the contribution of Kagame and RPF leadership in gender which enabled women to have greater ambitions.

In his brief address, Kagame implored the residents not to be held in bondage by the country’s bad past history but rather learn lessons on how to further develop their country.

“The bond we have together is unbreakable. You have overtime attained more knowledge and skills. This should be a reason for you to excel in developing your area even further,” he said amid encouraging chants of appraisal.

“Even though you have achieved a lot of success and development as you have described, better things are yet to come because as leaders, we are also committed to giving it our best shot,” he added

He thanked them for demonstrating courage and resilience by stepping out of the ruins of bad leadership to becoming exemplary people striving for personal and national progress.

Kagame, who was in the company of Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente who also hails from Gakenke District, praised the residents for upholding their unity even in diversity.

“Those roads, electricity, hospitals, schools and other infrastructural developments should act as an inspiration to achieve even more,” he said.

He said that despite differences in beliefs, practices, and ways of life, people can live together in harmony and work towards common goals.

He emphasized the idea that diversity enriches collective experiences and perspectives thereby building stronger and more resilient communities.

In many countries and regions, “unity in diversity” is celebrated as a fundamental value that promotes peace, stability, and progress.

It encourages dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration across different groups, fostering a sense of belonging and shared identity while respecting individual uniqueness.

Overall, “unity in diversity” encapsulates the belief that despite varied backgrounds and identities, people can come together as one community to create a better world for everyone.

As the presidential campaigns draw closer to the end, Kagame is scheduled to meet residents in Bumbogo (Gasabo District) on Friday, July 12, and conclude with Gahanga in Kicukiro District on Saturday, July 13, 2024.

In a televised address on Thursday, July 11, the Head of State also dismissed the country’s Attorney General, Justin Muturi, in the wake of youth-led anti-government protests demanding the President’s resignation.

He directed Principal Secretaries to supervise ministries as he worked on forming a broad-based government to help him achieve “urgent and irreversible implementation of the program we have”.

The embattled Kenyan Head of State said he had resolved to dissolve his Cabinet “upon reflection, listening keenly to what the people of Kenya have said and after a holistic appraisal of the performance of the cabinet and its achievements and challenges.”

“I have, in line with the powers given to me by Article 152(1) and 152(5)(b) of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Office of the Attorney-General Act, decided to dismiss with immediate effect all the Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney-General from the Cabinet of the Republic of Kenya except the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs,” President Ruto stated.

“I will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors, political formations, and other Kenyans, both in public and private, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government that will assist me in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent, and irreversible implementation of the program we have,” he added.

According to President Ruto, his administration aims to put in place radical measures and programs to deal with the burden of debt, explore raising domestic resources and revenues, expand job opportunities, eliminate waste and unnecessary duplication across multiple government agencies, and slay the dragon of corruption.

“This will make the government of Kenya lean, inexpensive, effective, and efficient,” he stated.

The 22 members of the Cabinet fired on Thursday include Njuguna Ndung’u (National Treasury and Planning), Kipchumba Murkomen (Roads and Transport), Aisha Jumwa (Gender, Culture, the Arts & Heritage), Aden Duale (Defence), Alice Wahome (Lands, Public Works, Housing & Urban Development), Alfred Mutua (Tourism & Wildlife), Moses Kuria (Public Service, Performance & Delivery Management), Rebecca Miano (Investments, Trade & Industry), Kithure Kindiki (Interior and National Administration), Soipan Tuya (Environment and Forestry), Zachariah Njeru (Water, Sanitation & Irrigation), Peninah Malonza (East African Community, The ASALs & Regional Development) and Mithika Linturi (Agriculture and Livestock Development).

Others Ezekiel Machogu (Education), Davis Chirchir (Energy and Petroleum), Ababu Namwamba (Youth Affairs and Sports), Simon Chelugui (Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development), Salim Mvurya (Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs), Florence Bore (Labour and Social Protection), Eliud Owalo (Information, Communications and the Digital Economy), Susan Nakhumicha Wafula (Health), and Mercy Kiiru Wanjau (Secretary to the Cabinet).

The changes in Ruto’s government come days after he announced new austerity measures to cut government expenditure following the [withdrawal of the controversial Finance Bill 2024->https://en.igihe.com/spip.php?page=mv2_article&id_article=50901].

The Finance Bill 2024 sought to raise Ksh 346 billion in additional taxes for the government. However, the proposed law sparked protests from “Gen Zs” who took to the streets to demand the rejection of what they termed as “punitive taxes”.

The President announced Ksh177 billion budget cuts to seal the budget hole left after the withdrawal of the bill.

Ruto said the Ksh169 billion budget deficit would be raised through additional borrowing.

He also announced that 47 state corporations would be dissolved and merged with parent ministries, and that the number of his advisors would be reduced by half.

Other austerity measures include the removal of the operations budget for the Office of the First Lady, the Spouse of the Deputy President, and the Prime Cabinet Secretary.

This is one of the resolutions adopted at the recently concluded retreat, which brought together Ministers from eight member states of the East African Community (EAC).

The talks are expected to be held by October 31, 2024, according to a joint statement signed by the ministers who attended the retreat held in Zanzibar, Tanzania, between July 6 and July 8, 2024.

The diplomatic row between Burundi and Rwanda has been ongoing for several years and was more recently fuelled by Burundi’s accusations that Rwanda is backing Burundi’s RED-Tabara insurgents operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Rwandan government has repeatedly denied the accusations.

RED-Tabara rebel group is considered by the Burundian government as a terrorist movement, with its members being linked to the failed coup attempt to topple former President Pierre Nkurunziza in 2015.

The accusations led Burundi to close its border with Rwanda in January this year. The strained relations have affected trade and movement between the two countries, disrupting local economies and communities that rely on cross-border trade and interaction.

During the EAC ministerial retreat, Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Albert Shingiro, gave the clearest indication that the country was ready to resolve issues with Rwanda through diplomatic means.

“Diplomatic dialogue is a powerful tool for resolving conflicts, tensions, and paradoxes between states,” Ambassador Shingiro posted the message on his X handle.

In the same spirit, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe and his DRC counterpart are also expected to meet in an effort to find a common ground wake of concerns over the conflict in eastern DRC.

The two countries have been at loggerheads in recent years over counter accusations of supporting armed groups to destabilise each other’s territories. The Rwandan leadership has often questioned the DRC government’s support for the FDLR militia which comprises remnants of the Interahamwe group that perpetrated the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

At the conclusion of the retreat, the ministers acknowledged that the most viable path to sustainable peace and security in eastern DRC is through a political process.

They recommended the convening of a summit of the EAC heads of state to revitalize the political track of the EAC-led Nairobi process in reciprocal coordination with the Luanda process.

Efforts under the Luanda and Nairobi processes aim to create sustainable peace by addressing these underlying issues through dialogue, regional cooperation, and comprehensive security arrangements.

The Republican congressman was the longest-serving U.S. senator from Oklahoma. He served in the Senate for nearly three decades, from 1994 until 2023, when he retired.

In his long political service, Inhofe is mostly remembered for his opposition to climate science, which often dominated headlines in the Western media.

He was a strong critic of the idea that human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, drive climate change. He believed that efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions would harm the economy without significant environmental benefits.

“You say something over and over and over and over again, and people will believe it and that’s their strategy,” he said of environmentalists, scientists and public officials who argued that man-made emissions had altered the planet’s climate.

For many years, this controversial stance on environmental policy made him a prominent figure in debates over climate change in the United States.

An Army veteran and licensed pilot, Inhofe was also known for his strong support of defence spending and strong ties with Africa and Rwanda in particular.

{{Africa’s Friend
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He supported U.S. efforts to enhance security cooperation with African nations, particularly in combating terrorism and extremism and promoting stability.

In 2018, Inhofe said he had taken more than 140 trips to Africa over about 20 years, and he had a hand in creating U.S. Africa Command.

He also advocated for increased U.S. support for humanitarian efforts in Africa, particularly during crises such as famines, conflicts, and natural disasters.

As a testament of his close ties with Africa and Rwanda, President Paul Kagame eulogized the late senator as “a singular friend of our continent, and of Rwanda in particular”.

“The bonds that Jim fostered between Africa and the United States will remain central to his legacy as a statesman and public servant,” President Kagame said in his tribute.

Senator Inhofe had a special attachment to Rwanda. He led a delegation of US Senators and Congressmen on a three-day visit to Rwanda in January 2014.

During the visit, the lawmakers were briefed on peace and security in the Great Lakes region, with particular focus on the Central African Republic, where Rwandan troops have been involved in recent years to help bring stability.

The delegation also discussed the prospects of increasing trade between Rwanda and the US.

At the summit of his visit, Inhofe acknowledged the strides Rwanda had taken since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which had derailed the country, saying that “the USA doesn’t have a better friend than Kagame”.

“We have been to the countryside and the transformation of this country is incredible. You can’t see it in other countries. We commend Rwanda’s role in peacebuilding and peace creation in the region; in South Sudan, and especially in the Central African Republic,” he said.

Senator Inhofe also visited Rwanda in 2017 and was once again hosted by President Kagame at his office in Urugwiro Village.

As a demonstration of strong relations with the late lawmaker, Rwanda hosted a breakfast at its embassy in Washington, D.C. on September 15, 2022, in appreciation of Senator Inhofe’s career and friendship with Africa and Rwanda.

In a conveyed message, President Kagame said Inhofe’s dedication to Rwanda and the relationship he helped nurture had strengthened ties between Rwanda and the USA.

“We have watched you invest in learning about and understanding Rwanda and other African countries. We have also watched you educate your peers on the importance of Africa and countries like Rwanda as worthy global allies,” President Kagame stated.

“You have shown that a productive relationship with the United States is mutually beneficial for our people and contributes to greater security and stronger economies.”

During the event, a grateful Inhofe reminisced about his first visit to Rwanda and recounted how President Kagame agreed to meet his delegation after midnight.

“After midnight he (Kagame) agreed to meet with us and he has been meeting with us ever since. We have had opportunities to do things together.” He said.

Sincerely, Rwanda has lost a true friend. Fare the well Senator James Inhofe.

“Abanyabuzare ba Gicumbi muriyo? Muriyo njye? Mwebare kwija, nashemererwa kubareba omubwingi,” he said, throwing everyone into prolonged laughter and excitement.

This is translated as, “How are you my relatives from Gicumbi? I hope you are well. I am happy to see you today in large numbers.”

Rwanda shares a border with Uganda at Gatuna (Gicumbi district) and Rukiga is the local language used in Kabale, the border town on the Ugandan side.

While in Gicumbi, Kagame held an interactive discussion with various content creators at Mulindi, where RPF and its army wing, RPA, were headquartered during the liberation struggle in the 1990s.

He later hit the campaign trail where he thanked supporters for tirelessly participating in the development of their district.

Kagame told the gathered residents, mainly from Gicumbi, Rulindo, and Burera districts how he had fondly missed them and thanked them for coming out in large numbers to support him.

He reminded them that on July 15, 2024, there would be the task of electing the President, he had all his hopes in them to make the right choice.

The incumbent head of state explained to the residents that the elections signify the continued journey of building Rwanda for the past 30 years, which is based on maintaining the security of this country.

He said, “Building ourselves starts with security, protecting what we build and protecting our people. Development is based on good ideas and governance that leaves no one behind. In the politics of the RPF and the other political parties we work with, we leave no one behind and invite everyone to participate in activities that promote personal and national growth.”

Kagame noted that poverty, ignorance, and disease had ended with those who had destroyed the country many years ago, stressing that the youth, in particular, had a very crucial role in building the country.

He implored them to work together to bring Rwanda to the level of development of advanced countries.

He recalled being in Gicumbi while leading the struggle to liberate Rwanda that began in 1990, thanking them for sticking to the true principles of good governance.

“You are building the city, and I have been told that most of you are engaging in modern farming. But let me tell you, the best is yet to come! That is where we are headed,” he said.

In his keynote address, Kagame told the people of Gicumbi that the development they desire is within reach, thanks to their cooperation, strength, intelligence, and knowledge, especially from the youth.

The residents also responded in the affirmative. “We are Kagame’s lions and forever we shall be,” they chanted.

A resident of Gicumbi and member of the RPF Inkotanyi, Mukarwego Alphonsine, conveyed greetings from fellow parents to the Head of state, who responded in acceptance assuring them of his commitment to move the country forward.

He said, “You will not lack anything from us. You have worked hard, after that voting day, kindly invite me back and I will not hesitate. I will come back to celebrate with you. The bond we together remains the same.”

Over 250,000 residents gathered to hear from the President and all of them left overjoyed and excited.