URUGWIRO VILLAGE - PRESIDENT Paul Kagame, yesterday, reminded sections of the Western community, that have sought to define the type of democracy suitable for Rwanda, that what matters is what the Rwandan people think. He said that his major concern is the will of the people and that Rwandans have a right to decide for themselves.

He made the remarks during a news conference held at his office in Urugwiro Village and attended by members of the foreign press

"The issue here is democracy and how we define it seems to change. Sometimes they define it to suit the choice they want in a situation, or dismissively, because what they are talking about is Rwanda or Africa,” he said.

"I don’t think there is a well established standard by which we go…you have seen the international community changing goal posts or definitions just to suit something that is in their own interests. It is as if other people should not have their own interests”.

He told the media to stop insinuating that there is a crisis of democracy in Rwanda.

"Why do you run away from the fact that democracy must be based here among the Rwandans, and it’s about the expressions of Rwandans,” he said.

Kagame clearly stressed that it is his responsibility to make sure that Rwandans decide for themselves and that nobody from anywhere should decide for them.

"No, you (western community) decide for yourselves and we decide for ourselves,” he said.

"There is where we meet; there is where we respect each other. Really, these values are not lessons we have to keep learning from somebody else. They are values that we respect, cherish and want,” Kagame said.

"Democracy is not just good for others…democracy is good for us, we know it and we want it, but the argument is on how we get it and whether we are on the path for democracy.”

"I am concerned about my people, the expressions of my people,” He hastened to add.

The President castigated some sections of the western media that have misrepresented facts about Rwanda, pointing out that their errors won’t stop the nation from moving on.

"In the end, when problems erupt here, those journalists don’t come to solve them. We are the ones affected alone, and even those who were standing with us run away, like we say, 16 years ago,” he said.

"I cannot understand the intention of some sections of the media who are given facts but they decide to twist them and create their own; it means you have another intention”.

Kagame observed that there is need for a new thinking about Rwanda, and that Rwandans are not going to stray away from that course of thinking what is right for them and their country.

"I always want to come back on one important point; when can the voice of the majority of Rwandans be heard? They talk about democracy but when it comes to the expressions of the majority, people tend to step on that and don’t want to hear their voices…there is something wrong. It is like there is someone out there who wants to shape Rwanda the way they want, not the way Rwandans want, and this is a point I am saying no to.”

"As long as I still have this responsibility to my people, I will certainly not accept it,” he said.

Ends