President Paul Kagame yesterday challenged senior cadres from the RPF to ensure that the stability that Rwandans are enjoying is sustained.

The President who also serves as the Chairman of the Rwanda Patriotic Front was chairing the two-day retreat that drew over 600 cadres who converged in Gasabo, Kigali to brainstorm on maintaining the country’s path to prosperity.

"This debate is about finding solutions within us to deliver the country from poverty to prosperity,” Kagame said adding that a decision on 2017 should be based on maintaining the stability Rwanda has come to be associated with and must continue to be known for.

"If the (growth) private sector, the markets and investments indicate the country is stable, who are we not to deliver that stability?" he challenged the cadres.

Kagame also challenged critics of the debate to look beyond the stereotypes used to define African leaders.

"There are people in Africa who want power for the sake of it and who want to rule over people. But that is not the identity of Africans. It can only be defined as the identity of those who do it.”

"You can’t talk of strong institutions but then choose to ignore the people. People want to put me in front of two choices: choose someone to replace you or we choose someone for you. But the choice that makes the most sense is the choice of the people,” Kagame added responding to critics who refer to a lack of strong institutions as the cause of the debate on presidential term limits.

Kagame also emphasized the importance of ownership in the final decision on the debate noting that although Rwanda is not a country in isolation, the decision belongs to Rwandans as they are the ones who will bear the brunt or enjoy the fruits of the outcome.

"Part of my responsibility is to make sure that the debates go on. In Parliament, in courts, in media, debates should go on. They are healthy. Everybody has a right in this country," Kagame said, further calling on the cadres not to shy away from the debate that has featured prominently in both the mainstream and social media.

During the retreat, Kagame also shared views on Rwanda’s history pointing to the role of external factors in dividing Rwanda, while also acknowledging that Rwandans took part in harming their own nation.

"We are supposed to be saved from ourselves. How many times should we be saved? The first time, the explorers discovered us. Then they colonized us. Then they killed us. That is what happened in the Genocide,” Kagame said urging RPF leaders to speak out against attempt by those who portray Africans as needing to be saved from themselves.

The retreat was concluded with a discussion on the social and economic progress Rwanda has achieved to date.

The report presented by Minister Gatete showed development in various areas including rapid poverty reduction, achievement of MDGs and growth in per capita income.

However, the President demanded more. He emphasised that while there is no doubt progress has been registered, there are still existing challenges which can be dealt with using resources within Rwanda’s disposal.

"Why do we have high commitments with low levels of execution? We need to bridge the gap," Kagame said adding that the level of ownership, responsibility in management of our own resources needs to be increased.

The retreat concluded with a set of resolutions that included working towards eliminating any fears Rwandans may have over the future of the country.

The RPF cadres overwhelmingly appealed to the President to consider their appeals for him to run for office, should the constitutional amendments provide for it.