It’s the New Year. It’s 2016. For many, it is a time to rejoice for making it into the New Year, counting blessings past and praying for more. It’s a time to reflect on the previous year, assess where we erred and how one can right their steps.

But beyond the individual reflections and resolutions, beyond the binge drinking and eating, what aspirations do Rwandans have in common and national good of their country?

This question should peg and shape the steps citizens make from today until they get to review how we worked toward these goals at the end of 2016. This could be in the area of community-based health insurance, Mutuelle de Santé, agriculture, construction, and other related socio-economic transformation visions.

The New Year heralds a significant moment where the country is seeking to continue its rapid transformation toward a middle-income economy, a vision the government can only achieve with every single individual putting their efforts together as Rwandans for Rwanda.

That will mean a year laden with the push for self-reliance, a year that will see more Rwandans emulate concerted efforts such as that which saw parents and the administration of Lycée Notre Dame de Citeaux in Kigali come together to help shape the school by funding the construction of a dormitory worth more than Rwf410 million.

Politically, 2016 brings Rwandans to the final bend before the sprint to the political finish line of the nation’s leadership. Already, citizens have made their desires known and took the effort to stamp it out in a referendum that saw the Constitution amended. But the world is not happy about it. They want to make choices for Rwandans.

From taking efforts to end the Genocide in 1994 to rebuilding the nation, it has been deliberate individual choices of Rwandans and it will be interesting to see how Rwandans continue to say ‘No’ to being told how to run own affairs.

This is 2016. Make it count for the common good and the nation.

A happy and prosperous New Year!