PARLIAMENT -  President Paul Kagame yesterday lashed out at international critics who attack Rwandan laws, ignoring that similar laws exist in their own countries, sounding a strong warning that only Rwandans understand and reserve the right to put in place laws that concern them.

Speaking at the ceremony to open the 2010 Judicial Year yesterday, President Kagame said the laws are made in the interest of the Rwandan people and not to appease any foreign interests

Citing the law related to the Genocide ideology and divisionism as one of the most frequently criticised, Kagame said that it is offensive for foreigners to pretend to be ‘more concerned’ than Rwandans, adding that the people of this country understand the importance of the law.

The President wondered why anyone would be against laws that were put in place to deter those who would want to destroy this country. He went on to remind his audience that the people of Rwanda have lived the horrendous experience, which was a direct outcome of the very ideology that Rwandans are working to guard against.

"We have lived this life, we understand the consequences, and we understand it better than anyone from anywhere else.”

President Kagame said that only Rwandans have to decide which laws they want to guide them and the importance of such laws in as far as driving the country towards achieving its development goals.

Kagame, amidst cheers, told the judicial officials who included judges, prosecutors and lawyers that nobody should imagine that these critics are any better thinkers than them.    

He commended the performance of the country’s Judiciary’s in 2009, noting that the as one of the major institutions that form the backbone of the country, it has continued to take major strides in terms of institution building and strengthening.

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