KICUKIRO - As the 15th liberation day celebrations draw closer, President Paul Kagame has urged Rwandans to develop the spirit of hard work and dedication in whatever they were involved in as a way of saving the country from poverty.

Kagame made the call after participating in community work, locally known as Umuganda in Gahanga sector of Kicukiro District.

"We liberated ourselves from the bad past; the battle for liberation didn’t stop at victory over tyranny and stopping the Genocide against the Tutsi but had to continue over liberation from poverty,” Kagame said.

He added; "We can’t afford to live with poverty while other people are living a better life. We can only achieve what we want if we put our efforts together.

That is why I am so thankful for the new initiative of the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) for their new initiative of coming down to help the needy.”

The Liberation Day celebrations will coincide with the Army Week that kicked off on Friday. The RDF will conduct various social and medical activities countrywide.

After the Umuganda in Gahanga, the army pledged to assist area residents finish the construction of 47 residential houses that will be donated to the needy.

Kagame also pledged Rwf 50m for the finishing touches on the houses and encouraged area residents to take good care of the new houses.

He added that the challenge for Rwandans was to work hard at what each of them can do in their work and their art to harness Rwanda’s economic potential.

As the majority of the top government officials braved the scorching sun to join their countrymen in the community work, Kagame requested the Mayor of Kigali City Dr. Aisa Kirabo to take stiff measures on maintaining the city’s tidiness and if need be, come up with punitive measures to whoever litters. 

"I have been observing people around town, they carry these bottles of drinking water and after using them they just throw them out of their vehicles for the Mayor to come and clean up the litter,” he said.

"If I was the Mayor, I wouldn’t tolerate this; tight measures should be set up and we will help you in this.”

President Kagame also thanked all Rwandans for their physical, moral and material support and contributions in liberating the country.

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