Kagame was campaigning for 80 candidates of RPF and its allied parties in the coalition.
The Southern Province Governor Marie Rose Mureshyankwano said the district bordering with Burundi was lagging behind in terms of development but a lot is changing.
“This district was left behind and residents ran to neighboring countries for most of the things they needed but it is no longer the case. They are stable and on the course for development,” she said.
President Kagame said it is important to work hard for development but more important to protect what one has done to avoid slipping back.
Citing a lion as the RPF emblem, Kagame said the beast is a good example of self-esteem and protection.
“Our party emblem is a lion. Lions do not provoke, they lay low because they know that when they decide to strike, nothing can stand in their way,” he told the rally in Gisagara, Thursday.
“We do not provoke but we do not want others to provoke us. We put all our efforts to build ourselves and protect what we have built.”
He said there is no advantage to neighbours not getting along.
“We gain more when we can work together and trade with each other. But we have to be prepared to defend what our country has achieved. If they are good with us, we can trade with each other, we have no problem. When you collaborate with a neighbour, there is profit,” he said.
The Head of State was apparently referring to Burundi which has halted some collaboration especially in trade with Rwanda.
Tensions between the two countries started in 2015 when Burundi accused Rwanda of supporting the failed coup against President Pierre Nkurunziza.
Rwanda has always denied the accusations, with President Kagame once saying that Burundi is trying to deflect attention from its own problems.
Kagame told Gisagara residents that though they are on the country’s boundaries, they can never be forgotten in the government’s activities, adding that they will be acquiring what they haven’t got yet.
RPF has 70 candidates while other six parties in its led-coalition have 10. The six are PDI, PSR, PDC, PPC, UDPR and PSP.
The coalition is vying for 53 seats in the 80-seat parliament. Other four parties, PSD, PL, DGPR and PS-Imberakuri, and four independent candidates are in the run.
RPF had 41 seats in the Lower House dissolved a fortnight ago while PSD and PL had seven and five respectively.
The Parliamentary general elections are slated for September 2-3 to decide on 53 seats while 27 seats—24 for women, two and one for youth and people with disabilities respectively— will be voted for on September 4.
Leave a Reply