Nearly 300 people gathered at Parliament Buildings in Kigali yesterday and voted leaders of the Rwandan Chapter of the Pan African Movement (PAM) and officially launched the organisation in the country with a pledge to work more resolutely towards a more dignified, prosperous, and united Africa.

The event was recognised by members of the Pan African Movement in the country as the inaugural National Congress of the organisation, which also approved the body’s internal rules and regulations on top of electing its leaders.

Veteran politician Protais Musoni who was heading the transitional leadership of the movement was re-elected its Chairperson while the body’s acting Vice-Chairperson Henriette Umurisa and acting Secretary General Cyrus Nkusi were elected to their respective positions.

Members of the movement also elected a number of Commissioners for the organisation, including Senator Tito Rutaremara as the Commissioner for members’ mobilisation and capacity building, Eric Manzi as the Commissioner in charge of trade unions, Prof. François Masabo will be in charge of university researchers, Oswald Burasanzwe will deal with political parties, and Bishop John Rucyahana as the Commissioner in charge of religious organisations.

Other Commissioners who were not elected at the inaugural congress will be appointed by the governing committee of the organisation in line with its internal rules and regulations.

The Chairperson of the Pan African Movement in Rwanda (PAM-Rwanda) called upon fellow members of the organisation, who are commonly called comrades, to always feel dignified at being Africans and fight for the unity of all Africans.

"Our unity with the rest of Africa is very crucial. Beyond being Rwandans we need to understand that we are also Africans,” Musoni said.

"Africans are human beings like any other people. They shouldn’t feel inferior because they are as dignified as any other human being”.

In order to effectively decentralise and mobilise citizens towards ownership of the movement, members of PAM-Rwanda are recruited within various groups, including women and youth, the private sector and the civil society, faith-based organisations and trade unions, as well as from members of the media and arts.

The organisation also recruits from members of political parties, intellectuals and academicians, as well as citizens at the grassroots level.

"This structure enables the Pan African Movement-Rwanda to efficiently achieve its mission to be the lead organisation that promotes Pan Africanism in the agenda of sustainable development and national transformation in Rwanda,” PAM-Rwanda officials said in a press release.

PAM-Rwanda was launched in the lead up to the forthcoming Eastern Africa Pan African Congress which will be held in Kenya next week from Monday 10th to 12th August 2015.

Members of PAM-Rwanda yesterday agreed on some key wishes to be tabled at the Eastern Africa Pan African Congress including the removal of tourist visas for Africans travelling in African countries, strive for Africa without wars, advocating for African countries to fly the flag of the African Union along with their national flags, mobilise Africans on regional integration on the continent, and advocating for gender equality and fighting against Gender Based Violence.

PAM-Rwanda has the support of the Government with President Paul Kagame being its patron.

Amb. Valentine Rugwabiza, the Minister of East African Community Affairs, who represented President Kagame at the organisation’s launch, told members that they had the full support of Rwanda’s top officials.

"We pledge the government’s support in helping you to achieve your goals to promote Africa’s unity,” she said.

Several members of PAM-Rwanda described it as a sort of new commitment and momentum to promote Africa’s unity.

"There is hope that we will achieve our vision to be self-reliant and more dignified Africans,” said Cyrus Nkusi.