Today is heroes’ day. As a nation, we celebrate the lives of those who put  country above self. They in most cases paid the ultimate price for struggling to make Rwanda a better place.

At a time when Rwanda was under dictatorship based on ethnic and regional discrimination, some people refused such politics and went ahead to struggle against such tendencies.

In fighting against a sectarian dictatorship, they knew the risks involved, but nevertheless went ahead to fight for what they truly believed in.

They could have chosen the way of escapism and gone on to do other things. Neither did they ask what the country could do for them. They asked what they could do for the country.

There are some who are well known and have been celebrated. But there are the less prominent ones, who did great things and died in the struggle for the liberation of their motherland.

They are many and mostly unknown despite their great deeds. The only way they can be celebrated is by striving to do what they did and all the good things they hoped to achieve had they lived longer.

It may not be necessarily a simple undertaking to try and follow in the footsteps of those who did great things for their country, but it is worth the effort.

And above all it is possible if we are dedicated. It is through such dedication that we can make a difference as a people.

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