President Paul Kagame ended his two-day tour of Western Province with a meeting with throngs of citizens at Mushaka Parish grounds in Rusizi District yesterday.

Thanking residents for their hard work, Kagame reminded them that the people of Rwanda are the country’s main resource.

"Our most important resource are you, the people of this country. Any economic transformation will build on your participation,” he said.

Rallying the residents to be proud of their heritage and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the country and optimise the proximity to Lake Kivu and the border they share with Burundi and DR Congo, Kagame urged them to keep up their pace for development and move faster where they can.

"People in Rusizi are hard-working and you can increase productivity by working harder and cooperating more with each other,” he said.

"The Rwanda we are building does not tolerate discrimination and demands equal opportunities for all. We want a nation where everyone makes a decent living, where every parent sends their children to school and every citizen has access to healthcare,” Kagame added

The President also reminded Rusizi residents of the importance of upholding gender parity.

"What kind of sense would it make to exclude 52 per cent of the population? In Rwanda, we need 100 per cent participation and equal opportunity,” he said.

As he wrapped up his visit of the province, the Head of State reminded residents of Rusizi and Nyamasheke districts that Rwanda aims to be a country that is both developed and offering equal opportunities for its citizens.

During an interaction with Rusizi residents, many of them thanked the President for his inspirational leadership and policies that have helped them transform their lives.

Joseph Habyarimana, 68, thanked the President for extending social protection programme to the elderly, which has helped him and others start goat rearing projects through a cooperative in Gikundamvura.

Habyarimana said the elders have a plan to buy a minibus for public transport business, which the Head of State boosted with a donation of another bus.

During his visit to the two districts, the President met thousands of citizens and opinion leaders at Gisakura Secondary School with whom he discussed the importance of upholding their responsibility to serve every Rwandan citizen.

"We have a responsibility to serve all citizens equally and to transform this country as fast as we can,” he said.

With a population of more than 800,000 people, Nyamasheke and Rusizi have seen their economies grow due in part to increased access to electricity and clean water with about 70 per cent of homestead located less than 500 metres away from clean water sources, while access to electricity stands at about 30 per cent of households.

President Kagame promised continued government efforts in providing critical infrastructure in the Western Province, from roads, electricity, and hospitals to telecommunication masts, schools, and hotels.

The Mayor of Rusizi, Frederic Harelimana, said residents in the area will strive to protect and build on what has been achieved.

The President’s tour of the districts was part of his routine citizens outreach visits across the country.

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