He made the remarks during an interactive #MeetThePresident session with participants of the 16th cohort of Itorero Indangamirwa at the Gabiro Combat Training Center on Tuesday.
Itorero Indangamirwa is a national civic education and values-formation programme established in 2008. It is designed to promote Rwandan cultural values, national history, and principles of socio-economic transformation, while also introducing participants to basic military skills and leadership training.
President Kagame told the young participants that they should approach challenges with confidence, believing they have the ability to find solutions or become part of the solution instead of expecting others to solve their problems.
“You must be confident that you have the ability to find a solution or to be part of the solution,” he said. “Be part of government. Be part of the private sector. Be part of any institution; being part of it is your right.”
He cautioned against what he described as a culture of entitlement, saying people should not sit back expecting others to provide what they need.
“Why do you feel entitled that somebody will provide what you need? Why are you not making an effort to give yourself what you need?” Kagame asked.
Addressing young people interested in business and entrepreneurship, the President encouraged them to develop ideas, collaborate with friends and colleagues, and take the first step before seeking external support.
He advised innovators to seek support from relevant government institutions or other stakeholders when they encounter obstacles they cannot overcome on their own, rather than assume that no help is available.
“But if you sit back and say, ‘This government, even people who have ideas, they can’t help’, you haven’t even reached out to the government to say, ‘We have an idea,’” he said.
Kagame acknowledged that not every idea would succeed but urged young people to persevere.
“Maybe ten out of ten ideas or approaches you try may not work favourably for you, but six out of ten will work. Why not? So it’s worth giving it a try,” he said.
The President urged participants to channel their energy into creating solutions, describing them as builders, innovators and problem solvers with a responsibility to contribute to Rwanda’s continued development.
“You are now builders of something. You are problem solvers. You are innovators,” he remarked, adding that contributing to the nation’s development ultimately benefits those who make the effort.
Reflecting on Rwanda’s liberation struggle, Kagame recalled that those who fought to liberate the country had little external support and therefore had no option but to rely on their own determination and resilience.
“During the liberation, actually, we had nobody to go to,” he said. “Who would we have complained to? Tell me, where would you have gone to complain? Nowhere.”
He stressed that meaningful support usually comes after people demonstrate commitment and effort.
“If you want to be helped, you must know how to do it. You can’t wait for somebody to feed you. You must strive to feed yourself. There are no two ways about it,” he stressed.
Warning against overreliance on others, Kagame argued that expecting governments, foreign countries or other people to provide everything undermines personal responsibility.
“But if you think we shall sit back and expect to be given resources from other countries or other citizens, first of all, it is a foolish thing. It’s absolutely foolish. Many people who sit back and expect that somebody will look after them; people call it dependence. Dependence is another word for stupidity.”
He urged young Rwandans to reject such a mindset and instead build on the achievements of previous generations.
“Some others have played their part… It is up to you to come and fill the gap, and then continue beyond that to another level higher than where we have reached this country,” Kagame urged.
He concluded by encouraging the participants to remain disciplined, take care of themselves, and avoid destructive habits such as alcohol abuse, warning that they could derail their ambitions before they are realised.
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