The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
President Paul Kagame, who is seeking re-election and holding campaigns across the country, has said the mantra of his party; RPF-Inkotanyi, is “not to leave any Rwanda behind”.
RWANDA |SUSAN BABIJJA| Kagame who is the chairman of RPF-Inkotanyi is pushing this message at all his rallies. He is urging Rwandans to join efforts for them to drive the necessary development together without leaving any one behind.
RPF party nominated Kagame as its flag bearer after he was voted by 1929 party members (99% of the total vote) out of the 1930 members who voted. The one ballot was a spoilt vote.
The RPF’s manifesto in the on-going presidential campaigns has focused on the party’s plans to strengthen the economy, social welfare, and good governance as well as justice in the next seven years.
It recognises that Rwanda is a country that forged national unity despite its terrible history of divisive politics and persecution. Unity and reconciliation was made by RPF Inkontanyi to see the country’s development and way forward for all Rwandans.
What has so far been achieved is just an indication of how far the country can go if they keep the RPF Inkotanyi in power.
‘‘Let us work together to develop our nation because there is a lot of good things to be achieved, we should use the chances that we have to build our country and freely live in it,’’ Kagame told thousands of his supporters amidst cheers
Speaking at one rally, Kagame told supporters not to pay attention to those who do not want to listen because of RPF’s achievements in country they destroyed. He said they don’t understand how the country can be this unified today because they wanted to build Rwanda using the foundation of divisions.
‘‘There those who don’t understand Rwanda’s uniqueness because of the role they played in Rwanda’s past, we are unique because of the path to transformation we chose, we are unique because of how we have turned our tragedy history around. They don’t understand how the country that was built to be divided and now transformed into a strong and uniform nation,’’ Kagame told supporters
Kagame, in all his rallies, has been received with massive turn up where thousands of supporters gathers to welcome him, including supporters from different political supporters like party liberal (PL), PCD among others.
Residents from different districts where rallies have been taking place appreciate and commend the RPF candidate for having stopped the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, helping widows to get a smile on their faces, orphans, improving on education, health, electricity and water supply.
Kagame tells supporters that RPF Inkotanyi gave them a candidate they already knew and had endorsed in December 2015, adding that all they will do on August 4 is completing what they had already started.
“We will achieve our goals if we keep working together towards the same goal, irrespective of our difference, voting RPF means continuing the transformation journey, education, healthcare, agriculture, technology that change lives,” he said.
He pledged to bring the much-needed infrastructure to the district, including more electricity, better hospitals and schools, as well as developing local food processing industries to boost the area’s economy.
Kagame also keeps thanking all Rwandans who have been working with the RPF to develop the country, especially the eight political parties that have supported him in the on-going campaign.
“The process of building a new Rwanda over the last 23 years should continue with the RPF working with all Rwandans and other political parties that have chosen to work with the RPF. We are all aiming to achieve the same goals,” he said.
At most rallies, people have shown genuine love to the President. Angelique Mukandayisenga, a resident of Kicukiro said she loves Kagame and cannot wait to vote for him.
She said: ‘‘I am an orphan my parents died in the 1994 genocide, I was left alone but Kagame has been my answer. I studied; after studying I even got a job and now I am soon getting married. Who else can support you like that, he doesn’t know me but he acts so parental to children like us.’’
Eric Nabobwa from Ngoma sector Ngoma district also said he will give Kagame his votes but the only challenge is unemployment among the youth.
‘‘I will vote for him so that Kagame can solve that challenge because they started the Hanga umurimu which is helping many youth, by voting him , such problems will be solved,’’ he said.
There is this particular grannie from Nyamagabe district who hugged Kagame in 2010, and was back again in 2017. The huge crowd went into near-madness at sight of the scene at the Nyamagabe rally.
In rural Nyaruguru district, Daphrose Nyirabahutu has earned herself nickname; “Umukecuru wa Perezida” (President’s granny). She has a musical group, all of whom are elderly.
Whenever Kagame travels to that district or its neighbourhood, she is invited at his functions. She has a poetic song for him. Listening to the language of it, to a non-Kinyarwanda speaker, it may not ring as hard. But ask the Rwandans!
When Nyirabahutu picks the microphone to sing; especially about Kagame’s leadership, everybody pays attention. She has a unique style of arranging all RPF manifesto and government programmes in her compositions with a very deep voice.
‘‘If I don’t vote for my son, whom else can she vote for,’’ she says.
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