Kagame urges Rwandans to vote wisely

Hundreds of Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) supporters yesterday thronged Camp-Kigali stadium from mid-day till late evening on the official launch of the party’s parliamentary campaigns.

Braving the mid-day sun, the ecstatic crowd chanted and danced to various party songs while awaiting the arrival of RPF Chairman President Paul Kagame to officially kick-start the Party’s campaigns.

Euphoria was even further ignited a few minutes towards five o’clock when Senator Wellars Gasamagera announced Kagame’s arrival.

The party chief did not hesitate to join the jubilating crowd shortly after his arrival. Barely ten minutes after his entrance, Kagame moved into the crowd which eagerly moved along with him as he went around clapping and chanting.

Other party hopefuls including Tito Rutaremara, the Ombudsman, Protais Musoni, Francois Ngarambe and Christopher Bazivamo, RPF Vice President joined the fray. It was not until after some 15 minutes that Kagame and others walked back to their seats.

Bazivamo then presented all RPF and coalition nominees to the huge gathering amidst deafening applause.

Kagame called on Rwandans to always think carefully before casting their vote saying that it is their vote that will determine the trend the country will take towards development.

He said the RPF’s leadership that championed among others, women emancipation, education for all, equitable justice and other facilities like making health accessible to all Rwandans.

"Who could have thought that the problem of refugees which had been rampant for decades would become history?

All this was championed by the RPF,” said the President, attracting applause from the fully packed stadium. He said that the manifesto outlined by the RPF during the 2003 campaigns has been achieved.

"We are sure that by 2010 everything we pledged to Rwandans will have been achieved,” he added.

The President mentioned different infrastructural projects like the methane gas project, the railway line and the Mombasa-Kigali oil pipeline that are in the pipeline.

He also called upon Party supporters to always embrace the culture of power-sharing which the RPF has harnessed during its years in power.

"We ensured that we work together with other political organization to ensure the development of our country,” he said.

He also called on Rwandans to cooperate with the international electoral observers, urging them to always tell them the truth about Rwanda without any fear.

"There is nothing to hide from them,” he said, referring to the observers.

The campaign trails which kicked off in the country yesterday are expected to continue up to September 13, two days before the elections which will take place on 15.

Ends