President Paul Kagame has tasked leaders in the country to do take their work serious and not to allow the country become a charity case, or wait for people from elsewhere to take pity on them, saying that no one should allow to put themselves in such position.
He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 19th National Dialogue Council, Umushyikirano where he implored leaders present to take their work serious and always aim at doing what can lead to the transformation of people’s lives.
"We are here to deliver for the people and change their livelihood. Short of this, you are doing nothing and you are better off throwing in the towel,” he said, adding that they do not have the luxury of delegating their responsibilities.
He added that when a leader abdicates their responsibilities, they leave a vacuum that will eventually be filled by people who may not necessarily share the same aspirations.
"I am not saying that we should turn down those that want to support us on our journey; however, you must define your own journey, then someone else can support you along the way,” the head of state said.
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The second and final day of Umushyikirano mainly tackled national unity and resilience and the President urged those present to leave with a commitment to do better in the different areas where they fell short.
He also highlighted the lack of communication within and across government agencies, saying that nothing will get done if people are not communicating and working towards the common good.
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"Problem-solving requires people to talk; you can never achieve anything on your own. We also need to stop the culture of procrastination; what has to be done today must be done today and not tomorrow,” he told the thousands of delegates that attended the annual meeting.
He said that from the discussions they had at the meeting, many of the areas where they fell short did not require financial resources but rather commitment and diligence by those in positions of responsibility.