Young members of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) Inkotanyi have been called upon to come up with innovative solutions to foster development.

The call was made yesterday at RPF Headquarters in Rusororo, Gasabo District where over 700 participants convened for the RPF Youth League General Assembly.

The participants were drawn from all parts of the country while at least 80 participants from the Diaspora attended virtually.

The Secretary General of the RPF Francois Ngarambe commended the youth for their contribution towards the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, saying that the country was more prepared to face future emergencies.

He also told members of RPF from district to national level and commissioners that they have a responsibility to pursue activities that are aligned with the over national development agenda.

"While it remains commendable that some of you have abided by these vows, it is a shame that others are still lagging behind,” Ngarambe said.

The Youth League is one of the core constituencies of RPF, with representation at all organs of the party.

It was created in December 1988 as a deliberate effort to leverage the youth in nation-building, specifically by dismantling the walls created by colonialism.

 "You are the cornerstone of the RPF, and you are consistently reminded to join efforts in order for us to deliver on what we promised Rwandans when we were elected to lead the country,” he added.

Ngarambe implored the young folks to particularly pick interest in the country’s history and understand its values, for through them, dignity lies.

He also highlighted that it remains true that the youth can’t achieve anything without putting their efforts together.

Ngarambe told participants that as a mass movement, RPF has different platforms where ideas are shared for the good of the country. 

He said party leaders attach great value to all the ideas generated from those platforms and most importantly from you the youth.

"As we delve into this meeting, I want to encourage you to leverage on the opportunities provided by the government for both your development and that of the country.”

Untapped potential

Rwanda has laid out various incentives to foster youth empowerment based on the conviction that the youth bulge has more potential than the country’s elders.

This is according to Solange Tetero, Director General of Youth Empowerment at the Ministry of Youth and Culture.

Tetero, who was among the keynote speakers, recalled that as much as the country has progressively rebuilt itself from scratch, "youth should work hard to sustain the gains and further develop the nation.”

"I want to emphasise that all commitments you will leave this meeting with should be underpinned by our unity. Unity is the foundation on which our nation’s development is built,” she asserted.

Zephy Niyonkuru, Deputy Chief Executive, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) maintained that now more than ever, the youth have more opportunities at their hands, especially when you look at Rwanda’s experience with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Reflecting on global trends of highly demanding investment portfolios, Niyonkuru advised the young members that it is not acceptable to keep on importing millions of fast moving consumer goods, yet it is a trend that can very much be reversed.

"The government has also put a lot of effort in supporting SMEs through various programs, as well as in the services sector. These are areas that are growing on a very sharp trend even when you compare with global charts,” he said.

Niyonkuru shared similar sentiments with Joseph Semafara, Founder of Solve IT Africa, a pan-African company that aims to produce technology workforce from Africa to the international markets.

Niyonkuru, who launched his business in 2018 said that he was able to train 300 young tech enthusiasts in his first year, after starting with only two members.

"Majority of us (youth) still find it hard to secure jobs, and some jobs are available with a lack of means to get there. Our company is providing a solution, and this can be taken as a lesson and a task to all of us.”