GATSIBO - President Paul Kagame, yesterday continued his tour of the Eastern Province, visiting Gatsibo district where he visited a model farmer and later addressed residents at Bushyanguhe Primary School in Ngarama Sector.

He commended the residents of Ngarama for their achievements but pointed out that challenges remain and that there should be no room for complacency.

The President reminded the mammoth crowd that they had the strength to transform their livelihoods as well as develop the country through concerted efforts.

Kagame noted that Ngarama was, in the past, one of the most remote and impoverished parts of the country, but today it’s among the most developed.

The president told the people of Gatsibo that their hard work is evident not only in the way their district has been transformed but also in how their lives have changed for the better in the last seven years.

He urged the residents of Gatsibo to continue with the same determination for the development of their district and the country at large.

Kagame told the residents that criticism can lead to positive results, referring to Kanyonyomba Rice Scheme which he criticised last year for not being productive, but today, production has increased from 1,000 to 2,500 tonnes, adding that it could even increase three-fold.

He pledged rice processing machines to the cooperative, noting that the government has no problem supporting the development efforts of its people. He also promised to avail the district with good roads and electricity among other infrastructure developments.

President Kagame reminded the residents to always uphold their dignity and self esteem. He went on to advise the people of Gatsibo to value themselves as Rwandans and Africans, telling them that this is a mindset that begins with the individual. He emphasised that the kind of value they should be aspiring for is already reflected in their constructive and development oriented activities.

Kagame urged against dependency, saying that the Rwandan people are as endowed as anyone else, with what it takes to develop themselves, including those who offer handouts.  

The President called on the parents to instil the values of hard work, dignity in their children, so that they grow into responsible citizens.  

He reminded his audience that the journey is still long, pointing out that while a lot has been achieved, in the development of the country, there is still more that needs to be done and that this concerns every Rwandan.

The President told the residents that the Rwandan people prevailed in bad times and that the challenges ahead are much easier to deal with compared to what the country faced in the past.

The Mayor of Gatsibo District, Anselme Majoro Rurangwa, in his welcoming remarks thanked the Head of State for sparing his time to visit the district.

Describing the Presidents’ visit as a symbol of good governance, that has transformed the district and the nation as whole, the mayor said that that Gatsibo has recorded tremendous achievements under the President’s leadership and support mainly in the sectors of health and economy.

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