The Kinyarwanda adage, umwera uturutse ibukuru bucya wakwiriye hose, loosely translated into – the common man always follows the leaders’ example – summarises the importance of the just concluded leadership retreat.

Leaders can make or break a nation, and there could never be a better example than Rwanda to illustrate how far bad leadership can sink a country.

The Ndi Umunyarwanda (I am Rwandan) initiative was the brainchild of a group of youth who realised that they held the key to a better Rwanda where equal access to the country’s resources was the key word.

But that could not be achieved if there were no mechanisms to sincerely confront our past, repent and seek forgiveness where necessary and chart a better future.

Now the whole country has joined the drive and for the last two days, the Cabinet, under the chairmanship of the government have been meeting as part of another home grown initiative to find solutions tailor-made for our solutions.

As for the young minds who came up with the novel idea of openly discussing issues affecting our community, it brings comfort that theirs will be a better, safer generation, one where the virtues of honesty.

It is time other professional groupings also adopted the initiative for it to have a larger impact. By the time it arrives at the grassroots levels, the ground will have been prepared and the masses will easily identify with it.