President Paul Kagame has urged the youth in Rwanda, especially those who are members of the ruling RPF-Inkotanyi, to take the lead in uprooting poor service delivery in the country.

He said this on Monday, September 28, while addressing members of the extended National Executive Committee (NEC) of RPF-Inkotanyi, which took place at the party headquarters in Rusororo, Gasabo District.

Kagame, who was speaking in his capacity as the party Chairman, blamed the vice on attitude, saying that it is not an issue of lack of facilitation for those in public service to serve people the way they should be served.

"The problem is not about tools not being in place; electricity, internet and others; of course they are problems and we are working on continuously availing them. However, the main problem is not using them to serve people better,” he said.

He also blamed those who experience poor service and decide to keep quiet, adding that the culprits must be called out, and this is when things will change for better.

The meeting attracted party representatives from the national to the grassroot level, and also had national leaders and representatives from special groups like the youth.

The meeting was held in observance of the Covid-19 guidelines, including social distancing. Photo: Village Urugwiro.

He told the members present that despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, life must go on, albeit with caution, such that the gains made in the fight against the virus are not reversed.

"Life has to continue. When a business person isn’t able to trade, or children are not going to school, it’s a problem,” he said.

Kagame urged the party members to have a common vision, irrespective of people’s way of thinking, or even how they do things.

The vision, he said, is one of building a country.

People may differ in the way they think or do things but they should keep their eyes on the common vision, which is building the country, he said.

"For instance, we must fulfil our fiscal responsibilities. When you have conducted business, it is your duty to pay tax. We need the tax to build schools, roads etc. It is for the general interest, so whether you like or not, you must comply,” he said.

The President reminded the participants of the country’s policy to open up to everyone, saying that Rwanda will never be full for anyone who wants to be part of the country’s development agenda.

He said that many foreigners continue asking to be naturalized as Rwandan citizens, something he said Rwandans should be proud of.

"I keep telling leaders, I hope they agree with me, whoever wants to be one of us should be given the opportunity, as long as they want to make a contribution towards building our country,” he said.

He added: ‘We cannot say the country is full, like those before used to proclaim, therefore we could not be accommodated. That is not who we are. There is room for everyone, including those Rwandans who are still abroad.”

However, he cautioned that being accommodative should not be mistaken for being submissive, even to those with a destructive agenda.

"This does not mean that some people are going to claim to be more important than everybody else. We are all equal and must be treated equally,” he said.

During the one-day meeting, members discussed various issues, including the effects of Covid-19 on the national development agenda, and strategies on how best the country can continue to reopen without exposing the population to the virus.