MUHANGA -President Paul Kagame has called on Rwandans to emulate Rwandan Heroes in order to achieve economic transformation.

Kagame made the remarks yesterday during the 14th Heroes Day anniversary, marked with national celebrations at Muhanga Stadium, in the Southern Province.

Top government officials, foreign diplomats, religious leaders and thousands of Muhanga District residents thronged the event.

Earlier, President Kagame and some senior government officials had laid wreaths at the Heroes Cemetery in Remera, Kigali, where some of Rwanda’s heroes are laid to rest.

Among those buried there are Rwanda’s liberation icon, late Maj. Gen. Fred Rwigema and the grave of the Unknown Soldier.

Kagame said that Heroes Day is not a time of sorrow but a time, instead, of joy and upright thoughts.

The President said that it is important to remember what Rwandan heroes were able to achieve and we, the still living, do likewise in order to develop and change our welfare and that of future generations.

He said that our heroes fought for some values that we all admire. However, he added it is now our turn to carry on the legacy and that should be a responsibility of every Rwandan.

The President said that the growth of Rwanda is not mere talk; it is time for the blind to testify to the growth, he said, adding that it is also time for all African countries to start learning from Rwanda.

He illustrated his point with an analogy of high jump, saying that the sport was done with the aim of jumping higher, not downwards.

He said Rwanda was now jumping higher and higher and that the country has no intention of lowering the height but instead was going for greater heights.

Kagame said that economic transformation is a goal that Rwanda has set and Rwandans are set to achieve it wholesomely without waiting for others to do it for them.

The President put emphasis on creating fertile ground for patriotism among the youth and called on leaders to set good examples for all Rwandans.

The Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports, Joseph Habineza, lauded the President’s extraordinary leadership skills and vision that have seen the country’s problems get tackled, especially the recently launched land re-distribution exercise.

Ends