Time and new challenges have not taken a toll on Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) and the the party is stronger than ever, President Paul Kagame has said.

The President, who is also the Chairperson of the RPF, was briefing members of the local and international media at Village Urugwiro in Kigali, yesterday.

The media briefing comes ahead of celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of liberation dubbed, Kwibohora20.

"As far as I know, the RPF is as strong and focused on what is good for this country and what is good for itself as it has ever been,” he said, allaying fears that it could have been weakened after 20 years in the driving seat 

"The state of affairs in the RPF is that of dynamism. There are those you call cadres, there are those who join along the way. There are those who fall out for one reason or another, but we deal with realities in life, whether it is politics or other circumstances. I don’t think there is one point at which the RPF has been found wanting in fulfilling its obligations, whether political, economic or social”. 

The President pointed out that the liberation journey had not been an easy one and many sacrifices had to be made. 

"At least one thing we have to say: it’s a huge price, the price of people being free, independent, being able to live a life where their rights are respected. But that also means that those ideals are worth paying the price for. That is what struggles are all about,” Kagame said as he reminisced the three-and-a-half year struggle. 

He said they had met many obstacles on the way but overcame them because of RPF’s resilience. 

”All odds were against us; political, diplomatic… everybody was mobilised against RPF, but we were strengthened by the validity of our cause. Our cause was so just that we were convinced about it and ready to pay any price for it,” the President said. 

"But the RPA at that time had no luxury of having any fear. The problems we were facing were much bigger. It wasn’t in the field only where fighting was taking place”. 

President Kagame again sent a stern warning to those intent on distabilising the country 

"If anybody thinks they are going to come and play with our people’s lives, they have no chance. For our lives, there is nobody who is going to come and play around here. Whether they are supported by outsiders, we will be so unkind to those who think they can play around with our lives. We have had enough of that,” he said without mincing his words. 

"There are many wrong things they can do: they can manipulate, they can even try to destroy what we have been trying to build, but there is one thing they cannot destroy; our will to deal with our affairs that affect our lives. The will for us to live our lives and fight for our rights is unshakable”. 

On the unsolved issue of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) holed up in eastern DR Congo, Kagame said he was running out of patience with people trying to sanitise the militia. 

"Look at the last 20 years, of these genocidal forces; they have been roaming around the region and in foreign capitals in Europe, America. One thing we have seen people falling short of is to decisively deal with the issue,” he pointed out. 

"Instead of doing that, some people look for all kinds of ways and explanations: that FDLR is not that of 20 years ago of the people who killed. The same people who speak of never again are allowing genocidaires to roam their capitals.This world is very cynical.”